Clinging to Hope
by heidlebergchick
Summary: Ukitake and Shunsui are secret lovers, but its hurting them to hide it. What will Byakuya do when he discovers their secret and feelings for renji? But a new enemy threatens to destroy it all... Pairings: Shun x Uki Bya x Ren Rated M for future lemon
1. Chapter 1: The Masks We Wear

**Full Summary**

Shunsui Kyouraku and Juushirou Ukitake have been lovers for hundreds of years. They have kept their relationship to themselves for fear of negative action being taken against them, since same-sex relationships are considered unfavorable in the Soul Society, especially among captains and nobility. Keeping this a secret and being forced to remain separate from each other takes a huge toll on both of them and they desperately seek a solution to their predicament. However, Kuchiki Byakuya, captain of squad six, accidentally uncovers their secret and unexpected feelings for his fukutaichou, Renji Abarai. But behind the scenes, a new enemy emerges with a whole new plan, one that will change everything…

**This chapter has been renamed and revised. If you have already read this, I apologize, but rereading is necessary. Thanks so much, sorry about this.**

Hi everyone! Happy new year and thank you so much for giving this story a chance. This is my first story for Bleach and I really hope you all like it.

Japanese Translations:

Taichou: Captain

Fukutaichou: Vice-captain

Soutaichou: Captain Commander/ Head Captain

Haori: White coat/uniform worn by captains of the 13 squads

Zanpakuto: Soul reapers sword

Gotei 13: 13 Protection squads/ 13 Court Guard Squads

Sakkat: Straw pointy hat that Shunsui wears

I think that's all, no real warnings for this chapter. Please enjoy! ^_^

* * *

**The Masks We Wear**

Torture.

Pure. Agonizing. Torture.

Half of Kyouraku Shunsui's face may have been hidden beneath his usual straw sakkat, but that did not stop him from sensing his secret lover's gaze upon him. Lifting his head by a fraction, he chanced returning a glimpse of his own. It was a risky action, seeing as they were both in the middle of attending a captain's meeting. If there was ever a place to be careful, it was here under the watchful eyes of the other captains of the Gotei 13.

Ukitake Juushiro watched the little smile tugging at the corners of his lover's lips. It was that smile on those lips that Shunsui always used to tease him in all manner of ways. His eyes travelled further along the row of captains opposite him, so as not to make it seem like he was lingering on Shunsui.

Directly opposite him, Juushiro noted captain Kuchiki of squad six, who stood perfectly still on Shunsui's left. The pristine white of his haori contrasted with the folds of the squad eight captain's pink kimono. His eyes were closed, as he listened intently to the words being spoken by their commanding captain. His hands hung casually by his sides and strands of his impeccably groomed hair framed his face, subtly highlighting his calm, yet regal expression.

Juushiro's eyes continued, taking in the form of Soi Fon. She too stood still, taking in the words of captain Yamamoto. Her eyes were fixed on a patch of ground before her feet, but Juushiro could tell that she was taking in a lot more information than she was letting on, as was customary for the captain of the second squad and president of the Covert Corps.

Juushiro's eyes softened a fraction as he observed the child-like form of their youngest captain, Toushiro Hitsugaya. Though he was lacking a little in height, the captain of squad ten, was no less formidable and was famous for his icy temper. But as he watched, Juushiro couldn't help but shed a ghost of a smile as Hitsugaya's finger absentmindedly traced the hilt of his Zanpakuto, Hyourinmaru. A stubborn strand of white hair, much like his own, adorned the thoughtful expression on the smaller captain's face.

Since Hitsugaya was closest to Soutaichou Yamamoto, Juushiro once again snuck a quick glace at Shunsui. A twinkle told him Shunsui was also having trouble distracting himself. It was torture being this close to his secret lover and being unable to do anything other than observe him quietly.

His hand twitched at his side as he averted his gaze to the floor and remembered the last time Shunsui had touched him, or kissed him. When was the last time they had truly been alone together for longer than a half hour, unrushed, without fear of being caught? The captain of squad thirteen honestly couldn't remember. All he knew was it was time he found another excuse for them to be alone again. He knew Shunsui had to be feeling the same longing feeling as he was right now.

Shunsui silently watched the expression on his lover's face and the twitch of his hand without giving off any indication of having done so. He knew that look; it looked like a serious, yet thoughtful expression, like he was deeply pondering something, or so it would seem to any bystander. But to Shunsui, it was a well placed mask of pain and longing, telling him how much it was hurting his lover that they were apart. It was a look that Shunsui truly despised, but he despised more the feeling of helplessness that accompanied their situation.

Though same-sex couples were not unheard of in the Soul Society, they were also not widely accepted, though this was an unspoken fact. It was practically unheard of for a high ranking member of the Gotei 13 or nobility to indulge in such a relationship, though there were no official laws against it, most likely because the issue had never been raised in the complete history of the Gotei 13. The two captains had mutually agreed to keep their relationship under wraps for fear of any action being taken against them, and because they were unsure how the Soutaichou would receive such information.

That being said, it was no easy task for them. For many years they had progressed beyond the boundaries of friendship and explored a secret relationship. Everyday the burden grew heavier, as pieces of their sanity wore away. They needed a solution to his problem before it consumed them both.

The voice of their commander died away and they were finally dismissed. Ukitake duly accepted a farewell nod from Retsu Unohana, the gentle captain of squad four on his right, as she walked past him. The giant frame of squad eleven's captain, Zaraki Kenpachi also shuffled on his left towards the door. Knowing he couldn't linger any longer, Juushiro followed the procession outside the room and onto the luxurious and traditional veranda that accompanied the barracks of squad one, their feet padding softly on the deck. The crimson pillars upheld the beautifully structured courtyard and played host to neat hanging baskets containing flowers of unmatchable splendor. The beautiful location could not, however lift his feelings of despair and loneliness.

"Ukitake Taichou."

That voice, his lover's voice, the one he had memorized in all its forms, spoke up behind him. He turned ever so slowly, so as not to appear over eager. The laid back, easy steps, thumped on the polished wooden floor as Shunsui slowly approached him, falling into a calm walk beside him. Emotions and feelings bubbled beneath the surfaces of their calm facades, as they put on a necessary show for the other captains walking before and behind them.

"I have a report to give you. I remember telling Nanao-chan to drop it off yesterday, but it was still on my desk this morning." He offered a grin, which seemed perfectly normal for the jovial captain. "I'll drop it by your office later today, okay?"

Their eyes met. Brown clashed with grey. Juushiro subdued his need to reach out and kiss those smiling lips and offered a polite, yet charming smile of his own.

"I will see you then, Shunsui; should I have my third seats prepare some lunch for us? It is still early in the day after all." He couldn't help it, but the words very already out before he could stop himself. He hoped the other captains would overlook his concern for Shunsui's welfare as a lover and see it as one captain simply being hospitable to an old friend and fellow captain. He tried, nevertheless, not to outwardly cringe.

Shunsui mildly noted the slip up and realized just how high the need between them had escalated since the last time they had managed to find time alone. He knew instantly that his oldest friend was setting the scene for a possible rendezvous, while making it seem like an innocent lunch. Still, the offer was too tempting to resist. He allowed a cheerful laugh to escape him and flashed another smile in Ukitake's direction.

"That sounds great. If only everyone else in the Sereitei was as understanding of other people's needs like you, Ukitake Taichou." His words hung heavily under the double innuendo though it seemed that only Ukitake seemed to understand the true meaning behind it. The other captains might have taken it as an insult of their hospitality towards guests of their squads, but he was really expressing his longing for them to be free of their predicament. For a split second the look on Juushiro's face told him his message had hit home and he left it at that.

"See you then, ne?" They had all finally reached the exit of the first division's barracks and the captains all began to disperse in different directions, Shunsui included. Ukitake could only watch as his lover slowly faded away, a patch of pink among the sea of white. Alone, he whispered quietly to himself.

"I will, my love." His white hair hid the lone tear that rolled silently down his cheek.

* * *

Byakuya Kuchiki made his way swiftly through the corridors of the sixth squad's barracks towards his office. Lower ranking soul reapers busied themselves as he passed, some offering quick bows in his direction. Not that he stopped to look. His intention was to slowly contemplate the contents of the meeting he had just attended, as his duty as captain dictated. But mostly, he just wanted to relax and have a few moments to himself.

His step faltered by a fraction as he began to pick up on raised voices coming from his office. So much for that quiet moment, was all he could think, as the voices grew steadily louder. One voice he recognized to be his fukutaichou, Abarai Renji and the other, if he wasn't mistaken, Madarame Ikkaku. But what was the eleventh squad's third seat doing in his office?

He entered his office silently, neither man noticing him. They were too distracted by the verbal sparring match they were engaged in. Renji was facing the window with his back to Byakuya and Ikkaku was leaning up against the desk facing Renji. Ikkaku continued.

"Seriously though, whatever look you were going for, you missed. I mean, don't you need a license to be that ugly?" An unexpected jolt of anger rippled through Byakuya, and was reflected in his spiritual pressure, as he heard the words spill forth from the bald man's lips. Renji growled and turned back to Ikkaku, noticing his captain at the door in the process. His eyes widened and he bowed.

"Kuchiki Taichou." Ikkaku turned and froze under the intense gaze of one of the most feared captains of all the 13 squads. He couldn't help but gasp. Byakuya spoke in a deadly calm voice, low but nonetheless frightening.

"You will restrain yourself from uttering such foolish and inaccurate words in these barracks. As a representative of your division and captain, you will show respect for higher ranking officers than yourself and act accordingly, while within these walls. Am I understood?"

He could see the shock written all over the faces of both men. Renji was still somewhat unaccustomed to being shown respect or praise from him, but at that particular moment, Byakuya wasn't worried about it. He was more concerned that Renji had just been insulted by a lower ranking officer in his own office, in front of his captain. It was so typical of the uncultured barbarians of squad eleven. Madarame hastened to bow before him.

"Yes, Kuchiki Taichou." He remained this way until Byakuya had taken a seat at his desk, with Renji standing silently beside him.

"Good. Now state the nature of your visit."

Madarame faltered, but Renji intervened. He handed his captain a folder that Ikkaku had previously given to him. Byakuya took the plastic folder from Renji gently and thanked him simply by inclining his head briefly in his direction. He flipped through it silently, scanning the first few pages.

"I see. This is last week's patrol log that I requested from Zaraki Taichou. Do you have anything to add to this report?" He closed the folder and rested in on the clean surface of his desk as Ikkaku replied.

"No, Kuchiki Taichou."

"Very well then, you are dismissed." With that, Ikkaku bowed and left the office, most likely delighted to be out of the office and away from the fiery captain.

Back in the office however, Renji was still a little surprised by what had transpired. Byakuya decided on the spot that now would be the most appropriate time to deal with Renji's low opinion of himself.

"Renji. I will say this only once." The normally cold captain adopted an expression of concern and warmth. His voice rang out gently, once again surprising his fukutaichou. Renji turned and looked at his captain, showing him that his full attention was directed at him and whatever he was about to say. Byakuya nodded in approval.

"Do not be afraid to defend yourself, even against myself. You are a man of worth, strength and intelligence. Pay no heed to what lesser men think of you. Instead, stand tall and be proud of yourself. What that buffoon said was inaccurate and ridiculous. You are not ugly by any means, nor should you believe that you are. You are _my_ fukutaichou, Renji. Do you think I would allow an incompetent man to fill that role?"

Byakuya opened his eyes after his short monologue and saw a look of astonishment upon Renji's face. He knew it was rare for him to praise a subordinate, but this low self esteem issue Renji had was becoming apparent to all those who worked with him. His bite was merely a form of defense and rising to any and all bait was below such a high ranking officer. Byakuya believed enough was enough and that his vice-captain should show confidence in himself and his abilities, thus silencing immature remarks about his looks and attitude. He knew Renji was smart and had lots of potential. He only needed Renji to see it for himself.

Renji couldn't believe that he had been not only praised, but defended as well, all at once. True Ikkaku had only been teasing, but even he got tired if it sometimes. He agreed with his captain; he was an excellent judge of character and he wouldn't be standing there if the captain of squad six thought he couldn't do his job, and he said as much.

"No, I do not Kuchiki Taichou. Thank you." He bowed slightly in Byakuya's direction.

His captain was still wearing that warm expression, showing patience and calming the rage Renji had no doubt felt from Ikkaku's words.

"Renji, you can call me by my name when we are alone, you know."

Another bow and Byakuya settled back to work. Silence resounded in the room as Renji contemplated his captain's words and Byakuya read through the report. Zaraki and his squad had been on evening patrol duty all of last week and patrol duties rotated throughout the squads. Squad six was due to take over tonight for the rest of the week. At the end of that time, the captain leading the patrol would make a report of each evening. This included, who was present, eradicating hollows and menos, and sometimes apprehending intruders. Since these patrols took place within the soul society, soul burials were not a part of patrol duty.

The main function of a patrol log was to help captains communicate strange behavior or increasing numbers of hollows to one another, since captains were spread out very widely. There was one captain for every three hundred or so soul reapers. Since their duties were so demanding, talking with other captains didn't happen very often and so report logs had been established to help one captain prepare to take over the next patrol after another captain. Hence the reason Byakuya had requested the reports.

The report itself had been written by Yumichika Ayasegawa, who often ended up in charge of the paperwork for squad eleven. Byakuya always found his work to be impeccable. There had been no strange activity over the last week, which translated as extremely boring for the members of squad eleven. Hollow numbers had been consistent with recent weeks and there had been no intruders. Based on that information, their patrol would most likely follow the same monotonous path. But that was just fine with the squad six's captain, an avid lover of peace and tranquility.

He closed the plastic folder quietly and swept a speck of imaginary dusk off his already immaculate desk. He caught Renji's eye.

"Anything interesting, Byakuya?" The name rolled lightly off his tongue, surprising the red haired man. Byakuya reveled in the sound of _his_ name being spoken in those rough, deep tones. A ripple of _something_ ran through him, though he didn't let it show on the outside.

"Not particularly. It seems to have been quiet recently." His gray eyes never left his fukutaichou's. Renji grinned.

"Maybe that was why Ikkaku was so uptight. If there's no fighting, squad eleven gets bored very easily." He adopted a thoughtful expression. "They sort of remind me of a group of little kids sometimes." Laughter actually threatened to spill forth from the noble man's lips, though he managed to rein it in and allow an amused smile to grace his subtle lips instead. It was such an accurate description of squad eleven. He simply loved the way Renji could stir all manner of emotions in him. It made him feel so, so _alive_.

Renji watched his captain's lips curve into a delicate smile at his words and a ripple of triumph surged through him. He couldn't help but think how beautiful Byakuya looked when he smiled, so serene and gentle. New emotions rose in his chest but he couldn't quite put his finger on what they were.

Byakuya's smiled faded and he gracefully got to his feet. He glanced at Renji, who was still wearing his trade mark grin. His deep, smooth voice permeated the room. He seemed to have returned to 'work mode', yet his gentle expression remained.

"I do not think it is necessary for you to put a team together for our patrol tonight, Renji. Since it had been so quiet, I think it is safe to presume that we could easily handle it for tonight. Your orders are simply to take the rest of the afternoon off and get some rest before the patrol begins tonight, Renji. In the meantime, I would like to take a walk and visit Rukia. Is that acceptable, Renji?"

Renji nodded and Byakuya inclined his head in farewell. He gracefully departed, feeling the red-haired man's eyes follow him as he did so. Suddenly Renji remembered something important. He ran to the desk and rooted out a few files quickly and made hurriedly towards the door. The dignified captain turned his head when he sensed himself being followed. He paused and allowed his fukutaichou to approach him. Renji recovered quickly from his efforts and offered the files to his captain. Byakuya's eyes roamed over their covers questioningly, as Renji spoke up.

"These are the last of the forms associated with the group of low ranking soul reapers that were transferred to squad thirteen, Taichou. I figured it would save you time if you were going to squad thirteen's barracks anyway." Renji couldn't place the expression on his captain's face.

"Indeed. Thank you, Abarai." His eyes betrayed his usual dismissive manner, to convey his gratitude to his fukutaichou now that they had left the office. He once again turned away from Renji and resumed walking unhurriedly down the corridor.

But he found that he could not shake the unfamiliar feeling in his chest, why did Renji affect him this way? Why did he suddenly think Renji's feelings were the most important thing in the world, and that making him feel good about himself was of vital importance? He hoped one day he would find an answer and unravel the mysteries of the man he had come to respect.

* * *

And that's chapter one. Please let me know what you think or if there's anything I should change, or if you see any spelling mistakes.

Again, thanks so much for reading.

Word count: 3,463


	2. Chapter 2: The Silk We Treasure

Hi everyone, I'm back. I know it was a bit of a wait, but I'm sure everyone will be happy with this chapter. I am quite pleased with how it turned out and it certain took a bit of effort on my part. This chapter mostly concerns Shunsui and Juushiro, since it is crucial to the plot. Also, please don't consider Byakuya a voyeur after reading this, as he is in no way turned on by what he is going to see.

**Warnings for this chapter** include a partial lemon and lots of suggestive sexual references.

**Japanese Translations:**

Taichou: Captain

Fukutaichou: Vice-captain

Kidou: Demon Magic

Zanpakuto: Soul reaper's sword (means soul cutter)

Onigiri: Rice cakes that have different flavors and usually shaped into triangles

Ryouka/Ryoka: Intruder

Bento: Japanese lunchbox

Sode no Shirayuki: Rukia's Zanpakuto

Shikai: first stage/ partial release of a Zanpakuto

Bankai: Full stage release of a Zanpakuto

Central 46: A group of forty sages/elders and six judges which serve as the highest form of government in the Soul Society.

Please enjoy!

* * *

**The Silk We Treasure**

The delicious smell of food wafted along the halls of squad thirteen's barracks. The sound of pleasant humming emanated from the captain's quarters. It was an easy day for the squad. Almost everyone was outside in the sun, practicing Kidou or training with their Zanpakuto's. The offices were pleasantly cool and quiet, much to the delight of the older captain. He was feeling unusually good; his chest had yet to bother him. On top of that, the captains meeting was over, another little miracle, so he set his thoughts solely on the impending arrival of his lover.

It had been hard to watch Shunsui walk away. In some ways, the Soul Society was a cruel place. He had no doubt that if their relationship was revealed; central 46 would create new laws against such relationships the very same day. This action would not only condemn them and their relationship, but also those of all the other men and women in the Soul Society, who were most likely hiding similar relationships for the same reasons. Juushiro loved Shunsui with all his heart and there were no words to describe how lonely he was, especially at night. He was going to cherish every minute of this lunch with his lover.

Juushiro slid open the doors in his office, which lead to his private lounge. All the captains had private quarters, where they recuperated from long hours of work. They included all the necessary facilities, like a bathroom, kitchen and a place to sleep, if for any reason a captain could not return to his home. They also included areas for storage and recreation. Juushiro had decorated his lounge in a traditional Japanese style, complete with rice paper sliding doors, gentle colors and of course, lots of plants, to which he tend regularly. In one corner stood a majestic bookcase and a very comfortable looking armchair, where the older captain did most of his reading.

He did not linger in the beautiful room, however. Instead to continued to the bordering kitchen to add the finishing touches to the simple meal he had prepared for himself and Shunsui. He expertly chopped some herbs finely and mixed them into a tasty dressing of olive oil. He allowed it to sprinkle over the colorful salad of peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber slices and inhaled the invigorating smell as he tossed it all lightly with two wooden spoons.

Satisfied, he turned his attention to the fish. Two fillets of marinated fish were ready to come out of the pan. He first ripped up medium pieces of lettuce which he used to cover two long black dishes. He laid the fish on them and finished off the plates with halved cherry tomatoes.

Last but not least was the rice. He rolled handfuls quickly into triangular cakes known as onigiri before arranging them neatly on a square dish. He adorned it with a sprig of parsley and began moving all of the plates onto heaters, so that everything would still be hot when his lover arrived. As he looked at the dishes, a sense of pride and satisfaction surged within him. He had to admit the food did look good, and he knew Shunsui loved his cooking.

Just as he placed the wooden spoons in the sink, the sound of merry whistling reached his ears from outside his main office. He perked up, knowing it was Shunsui. He heard the sound the sound of a door closing and footsteps, as he laid the last of the dirty cooking utensils in the sink.

"Juu-chan?"

His heart was pounding. The door began to slide open. He couldn't breath.

He turned just in time to see his taller lover enter the room, his pink kimono billowing softly with his movement. He finally allowed that breath to be released, but in a whisper of his lover's name, it was almost as if he was dreaming.

"Shunsui." It was so soft, so tender.

He stared almost hungrily at the vision of his lover standing calmly at the door. His chocolate hair draped over his right shoulder, his eyes gently fixed on him and his chest rising steadily with every breath. Juushiro couldn't help it; he crossed the room before Shunsui had a chance to respond. He reached out and allowed his fingertips to touch the fabric of Shunsui's kimono, as if assuring himself that this wasn't one of his fantasies and that his lover was really standing before him. His eyes which had been fixed on his fingers shifted upwards, once again locking with the taller captain.

Without saying a word or breaking eye contact, Shunsui wrapped a hand around Juushiro's, and held his lover's hand above his own heart. His other hand extended and tucked a stray strand of silvery hair behind his lover's ear, Juushiro's breath hitching as he did so.

Shunsui's hand tightened around Juushiro's as his other hand traveled further, weaving itself in those silky strands. He uttered his name in a needy murmur before pressing his lips against Juushiro's.

Their lips met in a motionless embrace where time seemed to stand still. The kiss reminded them of what it felt like to feel warm lips against theirs. It was firm, neither partner pulling away. Their closeness allowed their reaitsu to blend and become one.

Shunsui parted his lips just slightly, almost requesting silently that Juushiro do the same. The tip of his tongue flicked forward, tasting Juushiro, willing him to play his game. Juushiro didn't need any more encouragement and allowed his own tongue to meet his lover's in a fleeting caress. All restraint between them dissolved when Juushiro felt a little tug on his hair. The taller captain used this opportunity to pull Juushiro closer and deepen the kiss. Juushiro let a deep hum of approval escape him and gripped his lover's kimono in his fist, loving the feeling of that precious, pink silk.

No one had ever found out why Shunsui chose to wear that kimono, but Juushiro knew why. It was because it had been his gift to Shunsui when they had first started their relationship. It was Shunsui's way of telling the world that he belonged to Juushiro, and that was why Juushiro loved it. Every time he saw the pink silk worn by his lover, he felt a stab of possessiveness and he loved knowing Shunsui loved him enough to flaunt it every time he went out, even though others didn't comprehended the kimono's true significance.

Sighs and murmuring breaths found their way from their throats, as their lips moved in slow deliberate patterns, allowing their tongues adequate time to explore each others mouths. It really had been too long. The subtle flavors and textures began to reawaken for the two of them and both found themselves unwilling to relinquish the sensations washing through them.

Juushiro unclenched his right hand from the beautiful kimono and allowed it to slowly trace the expanse of his lover's chest, coming to rest on his left shoulder. Their kiss slowed to a halt. Juushiro rested his head against Shunsui's chest and Shunsui affectionately kissed his forehead. Juushiro felt Shunsui's lips curve into a smile and he looked up inquisitively.

"I guess that means you're happy to see me, Juu-chan?" He chuckled. Juushiro reveled in the little endearment of his name, the secret one no-one knew about.

"Do you even need to ask, Shunsui?" His charming smile lit up his face and Shunsui couldn't resist stealing one last kiss before releasing him.

The delicious smell of food wafted once more toward the two men, who had temporarily satiated their need of one another. Shunsui made his lover laugh by giving and appreciative sigh of approval after inhaling the mouth-watering aromas around them. Still laughing Juushiro retrieved some chopsticks which he handed his lover with mirth still shining in his eyes. His obviously hungry lover enthusiastically accepted them by giving him a loud kiss on the cheek before grabbing the plate of rice and flash stepping into the lounge.

Juushiro raised a hand to his forehead and released a mock exasperated sigh at Shunsui's antics before taking the plates of fish and following his lover into the next room. Shunsui was already seated and was eying the rice impatiently, his chopsticks clicking. He smiled sheepishly up at his lover, who gave him a look which said; "Don't get too comfortable." Shunsui sighed and got to his feet.

"Yare, yare. You always see right through me, Juu-chan." He left to get the last of the food and Juushiro set to work on the drinks. A minute later, both men were sitting on the floor cushions, preparing to eat.

"I can only hope it tastes as good as you do, Juu-chan." He smiled innocently as Juushiro shot him a saddened look. A cheery grin somehow broke through as the white haired man couldn't maintain his frown.

"You wound me, Shunsui." The hand he had dramatically laid across his forehead fell gracefully to his knee as he reached out for his own set of chopsticks. "I thought you liked my cooking?"

Shunsui, who had been just about to pick up a small piece of fish with his chopsticks, paused in his actions to stare at his still smiling lover.

"Juu-chan, if it wasn't for your cooking, I don't know what I would do. Seriously, Nanao is a perfectly capable fukutaichou, but she cannot, and I mean _cannot_ cook. That ryoka girl has better cooking skills than she does, unfortunately for her." He grinned and his eyes twinkled at his lover. "I'd be skin and bones without you and the secret bento's you send me, Juu-chan." He added mournfully.

They both laughed, enjoying the atmosphere immensely. Juushiro silently reflected upon the pleasant change to his usual working day, which he normally spent pining for the man sitting adjacent to him. He caught himself quickly before he began to brood on their unfortunate circumstances. No. Today he would lavish all of his attention onto his partner and not bring down the fantastic atmosphere in the room by thinking of anything else.

Shunsui couldn't help but notice the few seconds where Juushiro went quiet. He knew that he was probably thinking about their situation. He had no intention of allowing that to hinder them today. Who knew how long it would be until they were together again? Instead, he decided to pleasantly distract his lover.

He allowed the piece of fish he had been itching to eat to enter his mouth. His eyes flew open when the tender morsel melted on his tongue, enhanced by the sweet taste of Mirin, Japanese sweet wine. He now had a new reason to love Juushiro.

"My, my, Juu-chan. You've outdone yourself." He said with awe evident in his voice. He held another piece on his chopsticks and offered it to his lover, who at this point had only eaten pieces of salad. "Here you have to try it."

Juushiro glanced at the piece of fish held firmly by Shunsui's chopsticks. He was pleased that he tried out the new recipe and he decided to be bold. He smiled at Shunsui's thoughtfulness. With his palm flat, facing upwards, his fingertips lightly touched Shunsui's hand. He slowly raised the proffered hand of his lover and gave a loving smile before opening his mouth to accept the piece of food. His eyelids fluttered shut as he allowed his tongue to curl around the thin pieces of wood, before sliding the fish off them with his lips. A purr of pleasure at the taste rose from his throat as his eyes opened to inspect the impact of his actions.

Shunsui's mind went into a pleasure induced stupor. Did Juushiro even know what his actions reminded him of? All he could think of was Juushiro's rosy lips wrapped around a different part of his body. He could still feel the spot where he had felt a jolt of electricity when Juushiro had touched him. He paused in his thoughts before his mind went down that particular path. It wouldn't be good if that happened, though a lust possessed piece of his mind was screaming for him to ravish his naughty lover senseless. That particular thought, however woke him from his stupor; had Juushiro done it on purpose? A glance confirmed his suspicions when he saw Juushiro trying his best not to look guilty.

Juushiro watched Shunsui during the five seconds it took for him to go from shocked to aroused, and then to understanding. He resumed eating and mildly commented as he took another piece of fish.

"You were right, Shunsui. It was _very_ tasty. It was a good thing you shared it with me." He fought down the urge to burst out laughing at the look on the taller captain's face at his merciless teasing. He could almost hear the mantra of 'oh god, oh god, oh god,' running through his lover's head. He knew _exactly_ what Shunsui was thinking about and he didn't blame him; Shunsui knew very well how talented he could be with his lips.

Shunsui completely snapped out of his pitiful train of thoughts, silently congratulating his smaller lover for how he had handled the situation. He caught Juushiro's attention once again and smiled.

"Nicely done, Juu-chan. Nicely done."

* * *

As both men continued to eat, a game of merciless teasing had ensued due to Juushiro's actions. Now they were both determined to see how far they could push the other to find out who would break first under the pressure.

Though the white-haired captain had taken the first point, Shunsui quickly reminded him that he was not to be taken lightly. He had slowly turned the tables on his lover and teased him by seductively licking his fingertips after taking a bite from a piece of onigiri. He had accentuated the action with a moan of satisfaction at its delicious flavor. It had made Juushiro blush deeply, reminding him of how Shunsui sounded while in throes of passion. But Shunsui had no intentions of stopping there; he wanted to finish what Juushiro had started.

Shunsui held out a halved cherry tomato for his lover to eat using his fingers instead of his chopsticks. Juushiro, refusing to lose, lowered his lips to Shunsui's hand, not caring when a tiny amount of juice trickled down his chin as he nipped the piece away from his lover's fingers.

Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. He felt more blood rush south when his lover's teeth began grazing his fingertips. He didn't pull his hand away though. He allowed his lover to finish chewing the tasty piece of food. His skin tingled however as his lover's lips immediately returned, suckling each fingertip, effectively cleaning away the juice from the tomato and soothing the pain caused by his teeth at the same time. He loved it when Juushiro acted so provocative and naughty. It turned him on immensely.

Juushiro could feel the intense feelings building between them and saw the lust smoldering in Shunsui's eyes and he didn't know how much longer they would be able to continue like this. He almost lost it when Shunsui decided to retaliate by pulling him close almost as if he were going to kiss him. Instead of kissing him, Shunsui proceeded to lick, suck and kiss him from the corner of his lips down to his chin, to clean away the juice there. Juushiro couldn't help but give a soft moan. Encouraged, Shunsui stayed away from his lover's lips and continued a downwards trail with his lips, still sucking and nipping lightly at the pale flesh.

Their bodies were much closer now but Juushiro wasn't complaining. Those lips felt amazing on the column of his throat and he felt familiar tingles beginning to build up inside him. He allowed his head to tilt to the side, giving Shunsui plenty of room to explore. Shunsui's left hand rested on his shoulder, holding him in place while his lips continued to tease and taste the sensitive skin. He couldn't resist the noises spurring forth from his lover's lips and sought to produce more. He knew just how to do it.

He used his other hand to tuck away the hair on Juushiro's left shoulder. Juushiro's skin burned where Shunsui's fingertips had been and he opened his eyes to look at his lover through his lust filled eyes. They both knew where this was headed. He could feel Shunsui's need reach a critical level; perhaps they had teased each other a little too much. Regardless of that fact, it had been a few weeks since the last time they had been together though on that occasion, their meeting had not resulted in anything of a sexual nature. They believed sex was only part of a relationship and a healthy relationship wasn't supposed to be based on sex; it just one of the perks.

But looking into his lover's beautiful brown eyes, he couldn't deny the burning need he saw there, nor could he deny his own rising passion. Leaning back, he lowered himself onto the floor, easing Shunsui into a comfortable position where he was hovering above him, with both hands beside his shoulders. He saw Shunsui's brief confusion and dissolved it by whispering the magic words, while gazing into his lover's eyes.

"Make love to me, Shunsui. Wear nothing but the kimono."

He heard the gasp of delight spill forth from Shunsui's lips before they descended onto his own. Shunsui gave himself over to his lover intent on worshiping his body with everything he had to offer. Shunsui would never insult his lover by giving him anything less than his all.

* * *

Byakuya left the training grounds belonging to the thirteenth division. He was very impressed by the skills the squad had exhibited. Rukia had been diligently working alone with Sode no Shirayuki, honing her shikai to an amazing standard, even from Byakuya's perspective. Upon seeing this, the two ridiculous third seats had preyed upon her kindness and persuaded her to do their job. Naturally they had tongues of gold when it suited them and Rukia was no different than the next person when receiving a compliment.

So basically she ended up leading a few group training exercises instead of them. Byakuya had sat through over two hours while they worked on stance, blocking, attacking and of course, speed, endurance and balance. He couldn't help but feel proud as he watched her. She truly was an asset to his house and he was delighted that he had never regretted adopting her for even a second. He also realized her great potential to become the fukutaichou that the thirteenth division desperately needed. He knew she ranked higher than Ukitake's two third seats and that the captain wasn't getting any younger. He also knew it was time for the squad to move on from Kaien's death. The previous fukutaichou would be horrified to see the proud squad dragging its feet, simply because he wasn't there to carry them. Byakuya decided that Rukia was finally able to defend herself, even though she didn't have a bankai, and decided he would bring it up the next time he spoke to Ukitake Taichou.

He released himself from his thoughts, as he found himself outside the door of the captain's office. He didn't see anyone in the nearby offices when he had passed but didn't press the matter. It was not his concern. He knocked once on the door and waited. He was surprised when he was not immediately asked to enter. As the seconds ticked away, his curiosity grew and his fingertips grazed the doorknob, only to find the door had not been properly closed. With a small push the door swung silently open to reveal an empty office.

Byakuya stepped inside, his feet making no sound. His eyes briefly noted the tidy desk, where the paperwork was neatly organized. Sunlight flooded the room from behind the desk and the window sills where decorated with beautiful potted plants, adding a sense of life and color to the room. Another step and he was directly in front of the desk. A folder with the insignia of the eighth division was the only file to be seen, which reminded the noble man of the captain's meeting earlier on. He laid his documents next to it and turned to leave having completed his business. He wondered briefly where his previous mentor was, before dismissing it.

A soft whimper caught his attention just before his foot crossed the threshold. Just as he was about to think that he imagined it, it was quickly followed by another and a sharp gasp. Byakuya turned slowly on his heel and eyed the rice paper doors. He knew they lead to Ukitake's private quarters and he found himself reluctant to even consider entering them since he knew they were just that: private. He could not enter without the express permission of the captain who owned them; that was the rule.

A deep groan ripped through his resolve. He knew it was wrong and he _hated_ breaking rules, but he couldn't help the fear he felt. What if Ukitake was having one of his attacks? He knew the most common symptom was coughing, but from experience he knew the illness also included periods where the captain's chest simply tightened in pain, making breathing difficult. Torn he made a decision. He would only peek. If the captain was okay, he would leave and no one would ever know of his presence. On the other hand if he was in need of medical attention, his indiscretion would be quickly overlooked. He cringed. He knew peeking was childish, beneath him and very uncharacteristic of him, but damn it, he was worried. He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and slid the door open silently, just an inch. What he saw however was the last thing he would ever have expected.

Ukitake lay on his back completely naked with Kyouraku Taichou above him. Byakuya suspected he was just as naked though their modesty was covered with the pink kimono that he was associated with. Though he was a master of self control, his hand flew to his mouth in shock and he found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene before him.

Kyouraku had one hand embedded in Ukitake's hair, kissing his neck while his hips moved in slow, steady thrusts. Ukitake's hands clung to his shoulders, enjoying the sensations being produced by Kyouraku. It was obvious to Byakuya that this wasn't a one time thing; they had most definitely done this before. He watched as Kyouraku sucked and nibbled in all the right places, drawing the appropriate response from the man below him. It was also quite clear that Kyouraku seemed to care more about Ukitake's pleasure than his own, though he did seem extremely content with what he was doing.

Kyouraku continued his motions with Ukitake visibly on the verge of release. The passion was palpable. The dishes on the table lay forgotten as a cry ripped itself from Ukitake's lips as Kyouraku thrust particularly hard that time. Byakuya held his breath unconsciously as Kyouraku steadied his stance, rose on both hands and began murmuring encouraging words to his lover. His thrusts were quite obviously deep and hard and Ukitake's head was thrown back in rapture. He was so close; Byakuya didn't have to be an expert to know exactly what was happening. A deep rumbling purr from Shunsui brought Byakuya back down to earth. He didn't want to infringe on them and he decided to do the honorable thing.

Having gotten his answer, he resealed the door as silently as he could. He decided, having seen the apparent love they held for one another, he had no right or reason to disturb them. If they were happy and it didn't interfere with their work, then who was he to stop them? He closed the outer office door and made his way down the deserted corridors. He wondered why they had never told anyone that they were lovers; but then again, Byakuya never had heard of there ever being a gay couple among captains before. But knowing those two, there was definitely a good reason for keeping it a secret. He had great respect for Ukitake and Kyouraku. They were the first two captains to ever graduate from Yamamoto's academy and two of the most skilled swordsmen he had ever met. They lived their lives according to the law and had always served the Soul Society to the highest level of their beings from what he had seen.

Oddly, as his shock wore away, he found he was not disgusted or angry. In fact, he harbored a sliver of envy since they were so clearly perfect for each other, now that he thought about it. Whenever he had made love to his late wife, he had always wanted to let his passion out, but he always remained vigilant of her fragile state, which had usually forced him to hold back.

He wondered if he would ever find someone to complete him, someone who would be able to look beyond his wealth and title. That turned his thoughts to his fukutaichou. Renji had always accepted him and his orders without question. He had no problem challenging him and voicing his anger when it suited him. He was also able to stir all manner of emotions within him; earlier in the office was a great example of that. But he still wasn't quite sure if what he felt for the red-haired man was respect, friendship or indeed romantic feelings. He shook his head. There was no way, was there? Instead of worrying bout it, he cleared his mind and returned to his office.

* * *

Juushiro sighed contently as he lay in Shunsui's arms. He was glowing. It had been perfect and everything he had been yearning for. He felt his lover shift from their loving embrace and kiss his forehead softly. He heard him speak gently.

"I think I'll head back, I don't want anyone wondering where I've disappeared to." From the tone of his voice as he finished speaking, it was understandable that Shunsui hated to have to say it or leave at all, but they had been together for more than two hours and it was beginning to border on risky. Juushiro nodded and knew it wasn't Shunsui's fault. But he was happy and he was not going to complain. He had thoroughly enjoyed himself and that was enough for him.

They kissed tenderly knowing it would be their last for some time and they then made quick work of taking the plates to the kitchen. Later they made their way to the office where Juushiro intended on seeing his lover off, when a fresh pile of files caught his eye. Shunsui watched as he opened one and saw the elegant signature sitting at the bottom of the page. When his face paled in horror Shunsui was immediately by his side to comfort him. When he saw it, he froze.

_Kuchiki Byakuya_

The look on Juushiro's face said everything; he had to leave. Now. This could mean all manner of trouble for them. Damn it!

_He knew!_

* * *

I hope no one minds my take on why Shunsui wears the kimono, but I thought it was sweet for some reason. My absolute favorite part of this whole chapter was when Shunsui flashstepped out of the kitchen with the rice. I really love his sense of humor and I thought him doing something childish and such would keep him in character and provide some humor before I start dropping bombshells in the next chapter. Anyway, let me know if you guys spot spelling mistakes because I really don't like reading stories which are full of them. Anyway, I hope you all liked it and I'll see you all next time! Thanks to all reviewers!

Heidlebergchick

Word count: 4,845


	3. Chapter 3: The Sights We Behold

**Japanese Translations:**

Reiatsu - spiritual pressure

Fukutaichou - Vice captain

Taichou - Captain

Kidō - Demon magic

Shinigami - Soul Reaper

Seireitei - Court of Pure Souls

Rukongai - Dubbed as Rukon district, Outer circle of the Seireitei

Senzaikyū Palace - _palace of remorseful sin,_ a large white tower, located at the center of the Seireitei

Shinō Academy - The primary education center for prospective Shinigami.

Sougyoku Hill - Giant training grounds behind the Senzaikyū Palace.

Zanpakuto - Soul Repers swords, called Soul Cutters

Zabimaru - Renji's Zanpakuto

Haori - White coat that captains of the thirteen squads wear.

Reishi - spirit particles that make up the Soul Society

Junrinan - Town in the First District of West Rukongai

Shunpō - Flashstep, a technique that allows soul reapers to move at incredible speeds.

Central 46 - The main government body of the Soul Society

* * *

**Chapter Three ~ The Sights We Behold.**

Patiently, he watched. The wind howled, echoing through the Seireitei. The moon bathed the empty streets with its rays, trying to appease the ominous shadows somewhat. He smirked at the seemingly peaceful courts; for soon they would be splattered with the blood of his foes. He almost smiled at the thought. It had been so long since he had seen these courts, so long since that day when _they_ had destroyed him. But he would have the last laugh.

He mentally called out to his pets from the safety of his sanctuary. It was time to execute his plan. His pets had already infiltrated the Soul Society and were now awaiting his command. They would bring it to its knees along with the ones who controlled it, and then they would all know how it felt to truly suffer as he had many years ago.

"Go my pets. You know what to do."

He sat back and continued to watch through their eyes. The images flowed through him as they stalked through the shadowy streets like the silent killers they were. Soon their blood would pour and their screams would echo gloriously throughout the ancient white courts. When they did fall, he would emerge victorious. It was inevitable.

He growled menacingly. The time had finally come; he would wait no longer.

…..

A red-haired shinigami leapt swiftly across the rooftops of the Seireitei. His body moved effortlessly, one with his surroundings. He ran lightly over the roof before kicking off again, his sleeves trailing behind him. His clothing rustled with the breeze and his sandals made no sound as he landed gracefully, once again. His beloved Zanpakuto strapped to his hip, gave him the courage to venture through the darkness which would seem oppressing to most. But it didn't bother him tonight, not when he had Zabimaru to protect him.

Renji paused; he was nearing the rendezvous point. He had no idea where this week's patrol would take place, since the central location was always changed by central 46, to make sure enemies could never predict the movements of the shinigami. If it always remained the same, then criminals could simply bypass them and cause havoc elsewhere. This way, the shinigami always retained the element of surprise. He concentrated and began to pick up on a faint trail of spiritual pressure. He knew who it was calling out to him, guiding him. He allowed the gentle spirals of reiatsu to surround him and tug him in the right direction. It seemed to spike at a certain point in the near distance. Renji closed in on its source and sent his own tendril of reiatsu back in response to the other shinigami saying, he was on his way.

Looking around, he began to recognize the area he was standing in. This was Junrinan, a town in the first district of West Rukongai. It was peaceful here. He made his way swiftly through the dim, lantern lit village. He only had one thing in mind and that was reaching his destination and the individual waiting for him. He continued to travel along the rooftops of the town until he could go no further. There was nothing but a dense forest beyond where he stood. He was now high above the sleeping villagers. He crouched, his hand resting on his katana as he glanced up at the stars. The sky was truly beautiful tonight, but its beauty quickly became lost to the young man as his attention was drawn elsewhere.

High up on the clock tower stood a man clad in the purest of white silk. His gaze stretched outwards across the neighboring countryside, unhindered by his raven hair dancing in the wind behind him. He reminded the younger shinigami of a star high up in the sky, illuminating the darkness. The moonlight cascaded down upon him, drawing attention to his regal features, which were half hidden behind three delicate strands of his silky, black tresses. His elegant neck was adorned with an expensive, ivory scarf, which fluttered around him in the breeze, obscuring the embroidered insignia of his division on the back of his haori.

Renji gasped.

He watched as the man's gaze lowered at the sound he had made, until his stunning gray eyes focused upon him. The man's expression remained calm, yet Renji could feel the power that seemed to emanate from every inch of him. It was truly breathtaking to behold. If anything, Renji was proud to call this man his captain. He trusted him and respected him greatly.

Today, that respect had increased ten fold when he learned that Kuchiki Byakuya, head of his clan, actually considered him to be a valuable and capable fukutaichou. A sense of pride at the earlier conversation swelled up inside him. From the moment his captain had left the office, Renji had taken the time to contemplate what his captain had said.

'_You are a man of worth, strength and intelligence. Pay no heed to what lesser men think of you. Instead, stand tall and be proud of yourself. You are my fukutaichou, Renji. Do you think I would allow an incompetent man to fill that role?'_

That was when Renji decided that he was going to stand up and be the man that he knew he could be. He would stand tall and be proud for the whole Seireitei to see. He would make his captain and division proud for once and not sully it by acting like a fool. He composed himself and bowed his head in the direction of his captain, greeting him in his usual deep tones, "Kuchiki Taichou."

His captain did not look away in disdain, as Renji had expected. It was something the captain often did if he considered himself to be above someone, but the fact that he hadn't spoke volumes to the younger man. Instead, his captain seemed to be silently observing him, as if trying to decide something. After a moment, he too inclined his head softly in his own greeting before returning his gaze to the Seireitei. Renji, thoroughly pleased, took a low stance on the rooftop. He began immediately scanning the area around him, showing his captain his commitment to his work and that the advice he had been given earlier had been heard, loud and clear.

Byakuya turned his head by a fraction when he was sure his fukutaichou wasn't looking. He studied the red-haired man, from the corner of his eye. His feet were flat on the rooftop where he had landed; knees bent shoulder width apart. He allowed the weight of his upper body to lean on his elbows which in turn, rested on his knees. All in all, it was an easy stance for jumping into action or jumping away from an assault, should he need to escape quickly. Byakuya was impressed. Normally with Renji, this stance was accompanied by an unsheathed Zanpakuto draped over his back and shoulders, completely exposed and bare. Not only did Byakuya consider that to be reckless when it came to the katana's maintenance, but it was highly dangerous should he slip or become surprised by something around him.

His eyes traveled higher along Renji's back. His straight hair was tied back neatly and his usual black head gear was secure and unobtrusive. His whole body seemed relaxed and yet confidant at the same time. So he had been correct. When he had first caught Renji's eye, he thought he had noticed something different about the younger man. Earlier he had plainly said to Renji, believe in yourself and others will as well, and now Renji was, in is own way, telling him that his words had not fallen on deaf ears. Byakuya liked the subtle change and the trust that came with it.

He followed Renji's line of sight, mildly noting that his view was much more restricted than his own. From where he was situated, Renji could only see a distance of five hundred meters around him, the rest obstructed by the neighboring forest. From where he stood on the clock tower, he had a much better view, which made guarding the area he was supposed to be patrolling considerably easier. He returned his gaze to his subordinate. He spoke clearly in a gentle, rich tone.

"You know, Renji..." He paused as his fukutaichou regarded him with his full attention. "The view of the Seireitei is much better from up here."

Renji gazed up at his captain as his words sank in. He judged the distance from the two story building he was on and how far it would be to get to the clock tower where Byakuya stood. He noted that it was a bit of a leap, even for him. He looked around, quickly searching for a means to reach the older man. The clock tower itself was connected to a large hall which Renji could only assume served as a gathering point for the inhabitants of the village. Its roof was two stories higher than the rooftop he was on and Byakuya stood another two stories above that. Four stories were perhaps a little too much for him to jump at once, but two alone wouldn't be a problem.

He rose and steadied himself. He wasn't like the captains; they could leap a hundred meters into the air from the spot where they stood and make it look effortless. He also knew it was possible to solidify reishi beneath his feet. He was well versed in the technique, but he hadn't yet mastered moving through the air in that manner. So he would settle for this. Taking a running start, he jumped gracefully across the street and up onto the roof of the hall. He allowed himself no rest before immediately jumping again to the roof his captain occupied. He bent his knees as he landed and took his place on Byakuya's right. He resumed his previous, comfortable pose and looked out around him.

His lips parted softly in awe at the sight before him.

In the distance the most prominent building was the Senzaikyū palace, whose enormous tower seemed to capture more light than any other building in the Soul Society. As it stood proudly, it made a powerful contrast with the looming form of the Soukyoku Hill, which was covered in a thick, stifling darkness. The densely populated area Renji was familiar with was now nothing but a string of little lights surrounded by the great white wall of Sekkiseki stone.

"It's beautiful. I never imagined the Seireitei could look like this." He allowed his eyes to roam freely, taking in the breathtaking view before him.

Byakuya looked down at his fukutaichou in surprise. "Do you not live within the walls of the Seireitei, Renji? Surely you have seen it by night countless times, as have I?"

Renji looked up at the man beside him. "I have, but not like this. I dunno, maybe it's just this spot that makes it seem more beautiful. Or maybe it's because I don't often get to go this far from the Seireitei?" He shrugged. "Whatever the reason, this is different. This is better." He lowered his gaze and looked out again at the picturesque scene before him. Beside him, Byakuya nodded in understanding.

Byakuya allowed his own eyes to take in the familiar scenery. Yes, this place truly was magnificent to look at. He was aware of what Renji meant; it was one thing to glance at a place or object without really seeing it, especially if seeing it was a frequent occurrence. It was another thing entirely to sit back and appreciate it. But he also realized that this place meant more to him than even that; these were not just buildings or work places. This was his home; he had been raised here. Looking across the many landmarks, memories came flooding back to the proud captain. He thought about the Senzaikyū and Rukia's imprisonment there, the Soukyoku hill where her life had been saved and of course, of the Shinō Academy where he had first met her and accepted her into his home.

'_Rukia'_, a hint of fondness caressed the thought in his mind.

He realized just how important she was to him. Many of his memories of the Seireitei were violent, bloody recollections and he now realized that after Rukia had come into his life a lot of that had changed. She had rewritten many of his preconceptions for the better. One example would have been his view of Rukongai and its inhabitants. Before he had met her, Hisana and Renji, he had viewed them the same way as did the rest of the nobility in the Seireitei. Now he realized just how foolish he had been. Rukia had really surprised him this afternoon. The last time he had seen her fight, she had almost given in after a few attacks, and her kidō had been a little above acceptable. But today she had displayed the leadership skills necessary to guide the shinigami below her when she had carried out the team exercises. Her kidō and swordsmanship had both improved noticeably. Based on that he had no doubt she would make a fine fukutaichou for her squad.

Speaking of her squad, Byakuya's mind wandered to Ukitake Taichou again. He was still stunned to say the least. Three surprises in one day; Byakuya wasn't sure if he would survive another. But still, he wondered why Ukitake and Kyouraku would keep their relationship so obviously well hidden. There was no law against it as far as he was aware, so what was it? Were they ashamed to be seen together in such a way? He frowned. That couldn't be right; they clearly loved each other. So why then? He understood that it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but still. There had to be something else, something he was missing, but what was it? He sighed in frustration.

Renji looked up at his captain. The man was so lost in thought, his eyebrows creased and his eyes were glued to the ground below him. But as Renji watched, it was apparent that the man wasn't seeing anything. He wondered what had provoked such a reaction from the older man. He gave a slight cough which seemed to snap him out of his trance.

"Is everything alright, taichou?" He kept his voice even and polite. Byakuya's eyes softened a little but the frown remained.

Byakuya cringed internally. He hadn't intended to call attention to his inner thoughts. But he did know one thing for certain; he had no right to tell Renji or anyone else about what he had accidentally witnessed this afternoon. He groped blindly for an answer, knowing the man deserved one. He thought about Rukia again and decided that would be perfect. He looked down at Renji, who looked up expectantly.

"Everything is fine, Renji. I was just thinking about Rukia." That seemed to capture Renji's interest and he showed it with a broad smile.

"Oh? You saw her today, didn't you sir? How is she?" Renji couldn't stop the questions and was thankful when his taichou didn't reprimand him for it. In fact he seemed oddly relieved.

"She is well, Renji." He looked away, but continued speaking. "I was just thinking that she would make a fine fukutaichou." He was forced to turn and look at Renji again after he heard the man inhale sharply.

"Really, taichou?" Byakuya raised a delicate eyebrow as the shocked reply came, but gave a simply nod in response.

"I was planning on speaking to Ukitake Taichou about it. I was just wondering why he had not already promoted her to a seated position, at the very least." He knew this must have been shocking to his own fukutaichou, but after her performance today he deemed it only fitting, from a completely unbiased point of view. When no reply came he looked at Renji again, only to see a stunned grin on his face. He shook his head and Byakuya could only imagine what was going through his mind. When Renji finally did speak, his voice revealed his disbelief at what he had just said.

"Taichou... I'm not complaining, but...what brought this on?" Renji's face tilted as he asked and his features adopted a quizzical expression.

Byakuya gathered his thoughts. Though Renji's tone could be considered disrespectful, he knew his fukutaichou had reasonable grounds to ask him, what he believed to be a logical question. It was rare for him to show such consideration for anyone so he supposed it was to be expected. He turned back to his vice-captain.

"I came to this decision today after watching Rukia's squad train. Rukia ended up taking command after being goaded into doing so by the two _useless_ third seats. They ordered her to carry out their duties even though they were in the presence of another captain. I haven't seen such a blatant display of laziness in a very long time." He couldn't hide the hint disgust that crept into his tone as he said that. He continued while Renji listened with rapt attention.

"So Rukia carried out the group training exercises and in doing so, she showed off all the required skills of a fukutaichou remarkably. Based on that, I believe she could do a much better job than those two _fools_. I'm sure Ukitake Taichou would appreciate knowing _all_ about what transpired today." His voice carried immense pride when he spoke of Rukia, and obvious disdain at the behavior of Sentaro and Kiyone. He looked back down at Renji who was smiling.

"That sounds just like Rukia, I'm glad those two idiots were finally shown to be the losers they are." He grinned before he spoke in a quiet and tender tone, one which Byakuya rarely heard him use. "But seriously, I always knew she had it in her. You have no idea how hard she has worked for this." It came out almost like a whisper and Byakuya's eyes widened. He couldn't help but feel touched at Renji's display of emotion. He spoke softly, his words containing nothing but sincerity.

"Renji...does the idea of Rukia being promoted please you?" Byakuya understood that Renji had known her far longer and he genuinely valued his opinion on the matter. Renji paused at the question. He looked down and his expression became warm and oddly sentimental.

"It does taichou. But only because I know Rukia would love to be a fukutaichou. She told me once that it's always been her dream to earn a seat in her squad because then she could...um..." He broke off awkwardly realizing what he had almost let slip. Naturally it perked Byakuya's interest as he wondered why Renji suddenly felt the need to stop.

"Go on, Renji. What did she want to achieve by earning a seat?" He did his best not to seem eager, but Renji seemed more worried about whatever it was he was about to say next, to notice.

"Well taichou, this isn't her only reason for wanting to become a fukutaichou, but I know this is important to her. But ever since she became a part of your house, she has tried to repay you and do her best to show you how grateful she is. She knows how much trouble you went to." Renji paused, unsure if his captain should be hearing this from him. When Byakuya remained silent, he gathered up the last of his nerves and continued. "She thinks that if she earns a seat in her squad that she will also gain your respect. She looks up to you like any little sister and she just wants you to be proud of her. That's why I know this would make her very happy, especially if you were the one to suggest it to Ukitake Taichou in the first place."

"I see." Byakuya silently contemplated what Renji had just revealed to him. He understood that it must have been a difficult decision for him to make whether or not to reveal something that personal. Now he knew why Renji had paused and he wondered if Rukia would be upset with Renji for telling him. Nevertheless, he was sure all of her anger would dissolve upon being told she was eligible to become a fukutaichou. He was content now that he knew he could make her happy while fulfilling both his roles as a brother and as a captain. He was sure many others would be pleased as well, her captain, her squad, and most of all her friends.

The peaceful atmosphere was suddenly shattered however as a wave of unfamiliar reiatsu rippled through the air. Renji made a sound in his throat as he felt its chilling presence. Byakuya's eyes narrowed in the direction of the forest, immediately trying to ascertain its source. He had never felt a reiatsu like this before and it gave him a bad feeling. He turned to his fukutaichou on his right. He was already on his feet, staring in the direction of the forest. He had a grim look on his face; it seemed he wasn't the only one who thought the presence of this strange reiatsu was a bad thing. Their eyes met briefly before their outlines on the clock tower flickered for a second before abruptly vanishing. They had a job to do.

* * *

The cloth of his haori rustled as Byakuya touched down lightly on the forest floor. The strange reiatsu he had sensed earlier was definitely stronger now. The faint sound of his fukutaichou landing somewhere behind him didn't interrupt his steady survey of their surroundings. He was standing in a clearing. The moonlight filtered through the thick canopy above him, casting feathery shadows on the ground and giving him a minimum amount of light to work with. It flickered and danced across the leaf strewn ground and over the dense foliage that shifted in the breeze.

He extended his powerful reiatsu through the trees and deep into the forest around him as he tried to determine the source of the disturbance. The only immediate life he found was that of some small forest creatures and an owl, perched high in a tree. It gave an indignant hoot as if trying to communicate to Byakuya that it found his reiatsu irritating. It wasn't the only one; Byakuya too was annoyed since this could only mean the one emitting this strange spiritual pressure had the ability to mask it as well. His irritation showed clearly on his face.

Renji, who had yet to move, looked on with a serious expression as his captain wasted no time searching the area around them. When he saw the look of annoyance, he could only gather that whatever was creating the weird reiatsu wasn't in the mood to be cooperative. His chest felt tight, but it had nothing to do with the spiritual pressure coming from his captain. He didn't like the heavy silence combined with the darkness of the forest. Unconsciously, he gripped Zabimaru who had always been his rock. He briefly considered sending out some of his own spiritual energy before realizing it would serve no purpose other than to irritate his captain further. So he waited and allowed his captain to decide what the best course of action would be.

The stifling pressure in the air decreased as his captain chose to end his search. Renji could only assume that Byakuya's patience was wearing thin waiting for the source of the reiatsu to emerge. Perhaps whoever it was couldn't breathe or move up until now. So by removing it, Byakuya was most likely telling them to come out and face him. Surprisingly, that call was answered by the sound of a twig breaking as something within the forest stirred. It completely shattered the silence that had reigned up until that point. Both men stared forward.

To Byakuya, it started off as a small shadow among the trees. It nimbly placed one limb forward after the other with catlike grace, keeping its pace slow and unhurried. As it came closer, light flicked over the sharp contours of it body, illuminating a much larger form than Byakuya had first surmised. The creature appeared to be very pale, flickers of silver dancing across its body as the light changed. It crept even closer. It made absolutely no sound_ as it lifted its feet delicately over the roots and leaves that littered the hard ground. Finally it emerged from the trees and waited just beyond the safety of their depths. It stared at them inquisitively through golden oval-shaped eyes. Byakuya took a good look at the creature before him.

To his amazement, its body greatly resembled that of a normal human. All four limbs were planted firmly on the ground, though its hindquarters seemed to dip more than its torso. A curtain of silver hair cascaded along its back, over its shoulders and across its pointed face. It was straight, but not sleek and beautiful. It looked weak and uncared for and was full of split ends and pieces of leaves after obviously being allowed to trail along the ground. A soft, non-threatening growl emanated from its throat as it tilted its head to the side. As it did so, Byakuya could make out some very lethal looking fangs that adorned the angular features, along with some tapered, elf-like ears.

As he continued to gaze over its form, he noticed just how thin and malnourished it looked. Those sharp points he had seen earlier were actually its bones threatening to break through the stressed skin. Though the creature was similar to a human, its bone structure in places was different. Its lower body took on a natural curve, its spine and lower ribs supporting a bony ridge that ran along its back. It had seemingly powerful thighs, though Byakuya couldn't be completely sure due to the evident lack of muscles. They ended in deadly looking clawed feet, where the bone structure was visibly different to that of any human. Upon seeing this, the noble man glanced at its hands and saw similar clawed appendages that seemed to merge into its forearms.

This all seemed highly contradictory to him. It crouched and growled like a beast and yet appeared human, while emitting immense spiritual pressure typical of hollows and soul reapers. Its silvery mane and beautiful facial features suggested excellent breeding, but it was horribly disheveled and thin. But more than anything, the addition of a thin garment confused him greatly. The cloth around its tiny waist split into four segments; two at its sides and one front and back. They were held by a strap of what looked like brown leather, but Byakuya simply couldn't phantom how a beast could possess such a thing. He had never laid eyes on such a thing and had no idea where it had come from. But he intended to find out.

Renji was completely perplexed by the sight of the creature. As the moonlight danced, its already pale form looked, ethereal and ghostlike. It was completely new and he had no idea what to make of it. He watched with bated breath as it lowered its head and regarded Byakuya a little more closely. Perhaps since Byakuya hadn't moved, it felt a little more confident. It took a step and kept its head quite low to the ground. It looked sideways at his captain through one of its golden eyes, reminiscent of a fox. It moved cautiously and sniffed at Byakuya's aura. Its own reiatsu fluctuated as it breathed in Byakuya's scent.

Then it stopped. Its thin muscles stiffened and its eyes seemed to glow, before clenching them shut in obvious pain. It released a piercing whine that made both men tense. When its eyes opened, they glowed more intensely and its fangs were fully bared. It began growling viciously, its muscles flexed and tensed. Alarms started going off in Renji's head knowing his captain had to move away quickly. His heart began to pound as he watched. Byakuya shifted one foot, testing how the beast would react. It growled fiercely at the action and Renji knew what would happen if he moved.

But he wondered what the hell had caused it to go wild like that. One minute it acted like a cautious doe and now this. But then instead of a light fluctuation, its reiatsu spiked intensely and it howled in pain. When it subsided, it took one glance at Byakuya before lunging forward, claws bared. Before he could even utter a word of warning to his captain, Renji heard the sound associated with shunpō and realized he was on his own now.


	4. Chapter 4: The Ones We Protect

**This Chapter has been revised. Rereading is unfortunately necessary during the three final scenes. **

There have been a few changes made and I hope it helps. I like to listen to what readers have to say about my work and if there's something you feel is off, tell me. It is my very first fight scene ever and these creatures/demons are my original creation. Brace yourselves. Thanks for the awesome reviews and feedback, much appreciated.

* * *

**Warnings: MAJOR SPOILERS**: All arcs at the beginning involving Ichigo, renji and Rukia, Hisana, Byakuya and the Kaien Shiba arc, Espada arc and blood, violence suggestive male/male themes.

**Japanese Translations:**

Kidō - Demon Arts - Like spells shot from the palm of your hand. Two types. Hadō (destruction) and Bakudō (Binding)

Shunpō - A technique of extreme speed where the user is only seen and point A and B and not inbetween.

Taichou - Captain

Fukutaichou - Lieutenant, vice captain

Haori - White coat worn by a captain

Reiatsu- Spiritual pressure

Zanpakutō - A Soul Reapers personal sword

Zabimaru- Renji's Zanpakutō

Senbonzakura - Byakuya's Zanpakutō

Hoeru - Roar (command for Zabimaru)

Chire - Scatter (command for Senbonzakura)

Doppelgänger - german word meaning clone or copy of someone

Espada - Spanish word meaning sword, i think, i may be wrong

Shinigami - Soul Reaper

Shuhakushō - Reapers clothing

The names of the Kidō can be found on bleach wikipedia.

* * *

**The Ones We Protect**

As he sprinted, Byakuya couldn't help but think the whole situation was ironic. For weeks there had been little activity to excite the patrols and yet here he was, trying to evade the clutches of a rabid beast. At the very least he could rub it in Zaraki's face and tell him how unlucky he was. But judging by the weak appearance of this creature, he probably wouldn't have very much to tell.

At first, his only concern had been to ascertain where the strange spiritual pressure was coming from and if this strange new creature was a threat. Now that it had indeed proven to be dangerous, he would have no choice but to slay it. He landed quietly, intent on stealthily locating the beast and killing it before it did any damage. His main concern was Renji's safety. For that reason alone he knew baiting the beast into following him would be the surest way of achieving that and then at least he could fight without having to worry. A growl interrupted his plans and he quickly looked towards the sound. In the heavy darkness, the creature leered at him, fangs bared. His eyes widened.

'_Impossible!'_ he thought. _'A second one?' _He knew no mere beast could have matched his shunpō for speed. But when he looked around for the creature that had first attacked him, he saw only the beast on his left. He refused to believe that it was the same one that had first attacked him. It snapped viciously at him, unfazed by his questioning thoughts. It prepared to attack again and Byakuya almost laughed. This _animal _actually believed that it could defeat _him_ in a fight?

'_How arrogant! It seems that I must teach this beast its place.'_ He raised a finger in the beast's direction. He felt the familiar tingles in his hand as the kidō began to build up.

"Hadō no yon, Byakurai."

His calm, deep tones were almost immediately drowned out by the explosive volume, as the offensive kidō ripped violently through the trees. The immediate area lit up fiercely, alternating between rays of white and blue. Branches cracked and broke, blown away by the raging wind created by the spell. Byakuya watched the beast as the kidō raced towards it and he knew it didn't stand a chance. It was very basic kidō, but it was more than effective for taking care of such a simple beast. He closed his eyes as the brunt of the spell hit the area where the beast stood. Afterwards, he simply glanced at the charred patch of ground before he turned and began to walk away.

As he did, he almost missed the flash of white above the area that had been destroyed by the blue flames. His frown deepened when he realized his kidō had missed. The silvery creature had leapt into the safety of the branches and embedded its claws in the thick bark in order to escape. But that would mean it possessed incredible speed. He wasn't convinced. He gazed up at it and raised his finger once more. He repeated the incantation and released the kidō; this time he did not close his eyes and look away.

The smell of burnt wood filled the air as the kidō smashed into the tree, shattering many of its smaller branches. The elf-like creature wrenched its claws from the bark and used its scrawny thighs to propel itself through the air. It vanished, as if using shunpō and rematerialized on a tree a few meters away. Byakuya's lips curled in anger. He aimed again, but the creature had already moved and was on the offensive again. It kicked off from the tree and propelled itself at him like a lion, its razor sharp claws outstretched and ready to rip him apart. Byakuya had only a second to make a decision and knew using the creature's speed against it was the most favorable plan of action. There was no way it could dodge his kidō with the speed it was coming towards him.

He lifted his hand once more, but before he could utter the words another burst of reiatsu erupted behind him. Knowing a second beast was behind him, he had no choice but to abandon his idea and use shunpō to evade the frontal assault from the creature in front of him and a possible rear attack from the one behind him. He reached the trees a short distance away and paused. He glanced over his shoulder and knew he was being followed. Out of thin air the two skeletal creatures materialized before him. They remained on all fours with their glowing, golden eyes fixed on him.

He tensed as they snarled at him. These animals were a lot more trouble than he had first suspected. How was it possible for such weak, skeletal creatures to be so fast? They had claws that could drive through the bark of a tree as if it were jelly. On top of that, their jumping ability was startling. What other abilities did they possess? Byakuya had a bad feeling he was about to find out.

* * *

Renji blinked.

'_I'm alone?'_

He slowly lowered his arms that had previously been protecting him from the burst of wind when his captain had flash stepped to safety. The debris settled and the forest became quiet once more. His heart was still pounding and the bad feeling in his stomach intensified.

'_The captain lured that silver monster away from here, from me? He was trying to…protect me? …Taichou?'_

He gazed down the path his captain had taken. The forest trail looked worn and old. The trees towered impossibly high, their immense masses of leaves and branches blocked all traces of light, making the path seem even more daunting. Renji adopted a look of concern as he gazed down its shadowy depths.

'_Will he be okay?' _He scolded at himself almost at once. _'Of course he will be. He's a captain; if anyone can defeat that thing, it'll be him.'_

But Renji's brow creased and his chest tightened again.

'_If that's true, then why do I feel so uneasy about it? There's something… something off about that creature. Its reiatsu, it's giving me a bad feeling and I can't shake it.'_

Renji, who had grown up in Rukongai, had learned the hard way, to always trust his instincts no matter what. They were screaming for him to do something, anything! He clenched his hand into a fist at his side. He had made a vow to make his division proud by being a better man. Now was the time to put that into action, to show his captain and squad that this wasn't just a one time thing; he was serious.

'_I know now, that you were trying to protect me, Taichou… but don't you see? I want to protect you too…Byakuya?'_

Only seconds had passed since Byakuya had disappeared from the clearing, but for him everything had somehow changed. The night seemed darker and more silent, and his quickened breath visibly lingered in front of him. An unnatural stillness surrounded him, crushing him with its weight. But Renji wasted no time reflecting on this fact, or that he had no idea what lay ahead of him. His feet carried him quickly forward, barely touching the ground between leaps. His muscles protested at the sudden change in activity but he ignored them as surely as he ignored the lingering weight in his stomach. He had a job to do, and he wouldn't fail.

* * *

Through the eyes of his minions, he continued to watch how things were playing out in the forest from the safety of his lair. With his spiritual pressure, he was able to take the pieces of information being sent mentally to him by his many pets, and cast them into the air in front of him. This way, he could process the images as if watching a live feed on a wireless screen in mid-air. He could alternate each mental connection at will or even break them off completely. In this manner, he had witnessed the quick fight between his pets and the soul reaper, whose name he hadn't yet discovered. Judging from the haori, he knew it was a captain. It was a little nostalgic seeing one of them again after all this time.

He had very much enjoyed watching the captain's expressions as he slowly figured out what his pets were capable of. He couldn't suppress the laugh that rose in his chest. The captain had _no_ _idea_ what they were truly capable of; he had seen but a glimpse of their true power.

Still, it would be highly entertaining to watch him struggle against his pets until he finally realized that winning was an impossible feat, that he had no hope of ever achieving. It would be magnificent to watch one as seemingly proud as him, fall at his feet. That _was_ assuming his red-haired companion didn't interfere.

He glanced to his left where two panels were presenting an image of the crimson haired shinigami, as he made his way through the forest. His eyes narrowed; the young soul reaper was moving swiftly and getting closer to the captain with every leap. He couldn't allow any interference; captains were difficult enough opponents to take down when they were alone and even more so when they had back-up. He quickly sent a mental command to his two closest pets. He knew this forged mental connection still caused them pain, but he had plenty of time to correct that minor problem later. Now he needed to concentrate on that companion of his.

He turned back to the screens showing the proud captain. It was almost like playing chess. What would happen if he moved yet another piece to the board? How would the captain fare against yet _another_ of his pets? There was only one way to find out, right?

His own eyes glowed as he sent another command. The captain would learn pain and so would his little underling. This was turning out to be so much fun. He sat back and laughed as the 'show' continued.

* * *

Renji moved swiftly forward with long sweeping leaps. He stared forward, his gaze intensely focused on his path, determination burning in his eyes. He hadn't stopped for a second and for some reason he knew he couldn't delay. He just couldn't bear the thought of his captain being hurt; that thought alone motivated him beyond limits. He couldn't stop, he wouldn't.

His feet hit the ground heavily as he landed. He ran and leapt again, arms trailing behind him. The path was treacherous for using shunpō, due to the obstructions presented by the trees and the various plants and roots. He wasn't the worst when it came to shunpō but he had no desire to spend hours trying to dodge trees at those speeds.

He kept going, slowly becoming aware of the building levels of reiatsu around him. This reiatsu matched that of the creature that had showed up and attacked Byakuya. That supported his theory that there were more of them. He tensed.

'_They're close.' _

He started scanning the trees as he moved, knees bending and heart pounding. His feeling of unease returned full force as he realized what was happening.

'_Are they trying to separate us so they can take us down more easily?' _

His eyes widened at the possibility of possibly being correct. Was that really the case? He could still sense Byakuya's reiatsu in the distance, but it was being cloaked by the sinister reiatsu which seemed to be closer to him. It was a definite possibility. Divide and conquer was one of the most basic battle tactics, and he still had no idea what that creature was or how dangerous it was. It looked like they had hardly any chips left to bargain with. But still, the questions swirled around in his mind.

'W_hy are they attacking us? What are they? Where did they come from?' _It was endless.

Renji's pondering was put to rest as a flash of silver streaked past him in a parallel direction on his right. He immediately skidded to a halt and took a defensive stance, his right hand resting on the hilt of his beloved Zabimaru.

_Flash_

Another flash streaked past him on his left.

'_Two of them?'_

He gripped the hilt harder as he watched the two flashes of white as the raced by on either side of him. The reiatsu spiked as two of the skeletal creatures burst into the clearing in which he stood.

* * *

The situation was tense. Renji remained still, doing his best not to provoke to two snarling beasts before him. Though he wasn't the kind of man that could be classified as a coward, it didn't stop his fingers from trembling on Zabimaru's hilt or his breathing from increasing. A bead of sweat travelled down the side of his forehead as his eyes darted left and right, taking in every aspect of the scene as quickly as possible.

One of the creatures was ten meters in front of him, directly blocking his path. The other prowled slowly like a panther along a giant fallen tree trunk a meter behind its doppelganger. Renji couldn't see a way around them, and he knew the fastest way to Byakuya was through them. Renji shook his head. He had no choice but to go through them it seemed.

From where he stood, the moonlight flickered and danced across his skin, highlighting his sharp features. Slowly, began to draw Zabimaru from its sheath. Light cascaded along its curved edge, like the fang of a blood thirsty wolf under the light of a full moon. Renji closed his eyes as he concentrated. He could feel Zabimaru singing throughout his body, infusing him with its power.

Renji's eyes snapped open. They focused on the two creatures. He could hear Zabimaru howl inside his head, as his spiritual pressure began to build around him. He ran a loving palm along Zabimaru as his words sliced through the echoing silence of the forest.

"Hoeru, Zabimaru!"

The blade was illuminated in a soft pink glow as Renji's spiritual pressure surged through the blade, transforming it into a longer, wider segmented blade. The segments grew larger as they moved away from the hilt, each made more deadly with the addition of two spike-like protrusions. Like teeth they gleamed under the moonlight, making the blade itself even more formidable than before.

Renji surveyed the area around him. He was a safe distance away from the two creatures that still hadn't moved from their positions. The forest had grown quiet, almost unbearably so. Renji realized they were probably waiting for him to make the first move in order to establish his power level, especially after witnessing his little display with Zabimaru. With that in mind, Renji smirked. He pointed the blade forward at the two creatures and spoke.

"Alright ladies," he spoke in a confidant manner that may have seemed cocky to some. "Allow me to introduce to you, my good friend…Zabimaru!"

As the name was cried out, Renji swung the blade forward with considerable force. The first creature quickly abandoned his position and veered to the left to avoid the extended weapon. It growled with irritation as it padded lightly on its feet.

As Renji watched this display of annoyance, he failed to notice his second opponent as it began scaling a tree a few inches away from the log. It moved with a fluid speed, paying no heed to the trunk as it snapped and splintered under its digging claws. It stared down at Renji in a cold and calculating sort of way, before leaping towards him.

A cry of agony ripped itself from Renji's lips as he was almost brought to his knees. Utter shock and surprise surged through him along with fear. It happened so fast. His only warning had been an excruciating weight on his right arm and a burst of silver across his line of vision, before he truly realized what had happened. The second beast had jumped onto the tip of Zabimaru and was using it as a safe platform to reach and attack him directly, while avoiding the dangerous spikes.

Fear flooded through Renji almost unlike any fear he had ever felt before. Never in a million years had he ever expected something like that was even possible. The horror he felt was etched all over his face as he desperately sought a way out of his dilemma before he was killed.

The weight on his arm grew as the seconds ticked away and the elf-like creature inched ever closer. Renji watched with a sick fascination as it moved and he became hypnotized by the delicate feline movements of its feet. As it moved, he noticed the way the sword seemed to strain and shake under its weight. It was then Renji knew what he had to do.

He concentrated on the blade and knew a sudden movement would end up doing considerable damage to his arm due to the extra weight. With his left hand supporting his right wrist, he inched his left shoulder higher making the muscles around his ribs protest. The movement however carried down his arm and ended up moving his right wrist just enough to nudge the segments of Zabimaru to move, making it impossible for the creature to continue to move forward.

The creature struggled to retain its balance without success and its movements only served to cause Renji more pain. He gritted his teeth and endured it; he had suffered through worse before. As the blade continued to tip downwards the beast used the last of its footing to take one last strike at Renji with its claws. Renji jerked his head and upper body back just in time to avoid the blow and watched in shock at the beasts belly, as it sailed over him, its amazing speed launching it further than it had intended to go. Despite its mistake, it landed gracefully behind him and appeared unfazed by what had happened.

Relief flooded through Renji. The muscles in his arm felt so much better now that the weight had been lifted, but at the same time, his relief was short lived when he realized how close he had come to death within the first few seconds of his encounter with these creatures. He would never have expected them to be able to jump so high or move so quickly. Their appearance was so deceiving and the fight still wasn't over.

The one that had jumped onto his Zanpakuto, had retreated to the safety of the tree branch it seemed to favor, so Renji turned his attention briefly to the other who had been skulking around the edges of the clearing. It took a quick pass at him from the side, but Renji's reflexes were too fast for it. Renji flicked the blade in its direction forcing it back, snarling in anger. Renji, realizing he had used up his third move, pulled Zabimaru back to him. It made a heavy, and yet soothing thunk sound as it retracted and its segments locked back into place. Renji made quick use of his flash step, to make sure he was protected during the retraction phase.

As Renji touched down, he heard the unmistakable sound of kidō being fired off in the distance. He knew it was his captain, fighting fearlessly.

'_Byakuya_', he thought. '_I hope you're safe; I'll never forgive myself if you get hurt. I made a promise and I intend to keep it. Just be strong; I won't let you down!' _

Another burst of kidō shattered through the silent forest, almost answering Renji. But it was all Renji needed. His replenished the grip on his blade while determination burned inside him. He yelled and rushed forward, intent on tearing down the enemies that stood in his way. As his yell resounded and Zabimaru rushed through the air, his own thoughts echoed in his mind.

'_I won't let you down!'_

* * *

The gears were clicking furiously in Byakuya's mind as he began processing what had just occurred. It was like a sense of déjà vu had washing over him, as he found himself in a similar position facing down his enemies he had just evaded. They snarled and growled, but he simply ignored the two as he tried to make sense of his situation with a frown resting upon his handsome features.

It was the second time he had been forced to dodge their attacks using shunpō only to reemerge to find them waiting for him. Were they truly so fast? He was about to disregard that thought when he recalled the moment when he had watched that other creature jump from the trees. They must have had amazing speed in order to do that, but still –

He stilled immediately. He inhaled sharply and his eyes widened as it became clear in his mind: They had been waiting for him only split second after he had used shunpō both times. It would have been an incredible feat to find him at his speed unless, they were tracking him. They had to be. How else did they keep turning up?

Byakuya paused in his thoughts and glanced haughtily at the two beasts. He was not one to make assumptions, no, he had to prove that his hypothesis was correct. A simple task. So, what methods of tracking were they using? The first thought that entered his mind was by scent. Time to test that theory.

Byakuya gently unwound the silk scarf from around his neck while remaining as still as possible so as not to provoke the creatures before him. He held and raised his other hand to attack. His plan was to drop the scarf after he used shunpō to see if they would fall for his trick and follow the scarf instead of him. He spoke the words clearly.

"Hadō no san juu san, Sōkatsui."

The kidō rushed at the two creatures but Byakuya wasted no time staying to watch the blue flames erupt through the trees. Instead he quickly made use of his shunpō to evade and dropped the scarf. He moved a few meters away from the area where he could observe it. As predicted, the creatures didn't spare it a single glance. The scarf lay forgotten on the forest floor.

The nobleman's lip twitched upwards in an annoyed fashion. '_So much for the scarf'_, he thought. '_Since it was proven to be useless, it might as well remain where it is._'

He turned his attention back to the two beasts and decided on the next possible tracking method that they could be using. Reiatsu tracking, for it was true he hadn't bothered to completely rein it in. He raised his arm slowly, his palm facing the first of the two beasts as he allowed the kidō to build up. His gaze didn't waver for a second as he released it in all its beautiful fury.

"Hadō no nana juu san, Sōren Sōkatsui!"

The first blast of the twin kidō raged forward in the direction of the first creature who jumped to safety, before he quickly redirected his palm to stop the other from charging at him. It skidded to the left but continued to race towards him leaving his no choice but to defend with two additional blasts. It forced him to take a few steps backwards to avoid being hurt by his own attack as it became more close range.

As noble as his intentions were, luck wasn't on his side. He did manage to push the beast back but at the last second he sensed movement behind him. He hastened to avoid the unexpected new attack, but pain blossomed in his ankle when a third, new beast emerged from the undergrowth after deep cutting into his flesh with its claws.

His lip curled in anger. If there was one thing he hated, it was underhanded tactics like sneak attacks. No honour, no respect, no pride. It was shameful and low. He stared the new beast down with unbridled fury burning in his eyes; unforgiveable. His raised his hand, promising no mercy; only kidō experts could do what he was about to. If anyone from the Sereitei saw him now, they would have run for their lives. They knew that look in his eyes. It meant death was inevitable.

"Hadō no roku juu san, Raikōhō!"

He released the kidō, firing again and again, sending wave after wave of crushing reiatsu into the trees around them in a steady circle. It rained in a ferocious storm of golden thunder, blinding the entire area with its light. Now all he had to do was disappear into the midst of the chaos he had created. With the amount of his reiatsu in the air it would now be impossible to determine what was stagnant energy and what wasn't. If he completely reined his reiatsu in and left them only with the remaining evidence of his onslaught, then he would be truly removing himself from the picture. They would be forced to search for him but to of no avail and control of the situation would return to him, allowing him to prey on their confusion like a hidden tiger on the prowl.

As the last shot was fired he suppressed every ounce of his own reiatsu and took advantage of his shunpō to escape into the higher branches of the trees. Not only had he proved his theory but he had also turned the tables on his new enemies. He was every bit the competent captain that his reputation preceded, he had just proved it.

Byakuya's cold fury eased slowly as his calculative mind took over, analyzing the result of his actions. He gazed down at the three prowling beasts. The sniffed at the remains of the damaged trees, taking note of the reiatsu signature, clearing confused by the odd turn the situation had taken. The forest area was vibrating with the leftover energy of his attack and he was sure even Renji could sense it, where ever he was.

His gaze found the three again, noticing that they were slowly drifting apart as they expanded their search. He knew it was time to strike. He inched slowly along the bough, aiming on catching the first two, who were on opposite ends of the smoldering remains of a particularly large bough that had become the victim of his earlier rage. They stood at least five meters apart.

He pointed his finger at the first's blind spot from above. He knew speed was the only advantage he really had, because if he wasn't fast enough to immobilize them now, he wouldn't get another chance. He took a deep breath and released the kidō without uttering a sound.

Six rods of golden light attached themselves successfully to the midsection of the first creature. The second snapped its attention to the first before its gaze darted upwards, his body on full alert. But it was too late; Byakuya struck quietly while he had first gained its attention and bound its lower body with a golden rope like kidō, Sajo Sabaku. Bound it couldn't get away other than to put up a futile struggle against the conditioned and well trained muscles of Byakuya's entire upper body. Using his free hand, the noble man finally did what he had been itching to do since the encounter had gone up a notch, draw his Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura.

The beautiful curved blade sang under his touch and his eyes connected with the beast's. A simple communication carried between them and the beast increased its struggle with vigor, not willing to resign itself to the mercy of the handsome captain's katana. With a clean stroke, the weight on the rope slackened and Byakuya watched as its body slowly began to dissolve into an oddly beautiful display of shimmering diamonds before they disappeared altogether. Byakuya eyes closed softly in silent respect of the fallen as he had been taught as a mere boy by his grandfather, Ginrei Kuchiki.

'_You must always respect the dead, Byakuya. Death is the final stage in the cycle of life and will bring new life once again.'_

Byakuya remembered listening with a fascination, though understanding his grandfather's words hadn't been easy. While he had been learning to hone the skills of the sword, of killing his enemies, it had almost seemed like a foreign concept to later respect those who fell at his hands. It wasn't until he had eventually caused the death of a man that he understood and to this day, he respected the wisdom of his grandfather and hoped to become as wise one day.

He turned his attention to the other bound creature and knew he had to destroy the threat while he had it in his grasp. Sighing softly, he raised his katana into a vertical position and spoke in a smooth, calm voice.

"Chire, Senbonzakura."

The silvery blade dissolved slowly into tiny shards of pink light, blooming around him in a lovers caress like thousands of cherry blossom petals. Left with the hilt, he guided the petals into surrounding his enemy. After witnessing the death of its companion, it knew what would happen and remained still. Byakuya could only respect its decision; it had more sense than its companion. Its death would be swift and honorable.

A quick movement of his wrist and it was over. The petals surrounded him comfortingly as he once again took a moment to respect the fallen. The hilt lay calmly at his side. He shifted on his feet, pausing only momentarily as a bolt of pain shot up through his leg. He had almost forgotten there were three. The reiatsu building slowly behind him was like an annoyed guest poking him on the shoulder. How rude of him to keep a guest waiting. He turned, completely ignoring the pain in his ankle and the vicious growl of the third and final beast.

"Sorry to keep you waiting; I had other matters to attend to. But I assure you, now you have my _full_ attention."

A vicious snap of its jaws was the only encouragement he needed. It was time to end this.

* * *

A sickening squelching noise filled the forest as Renji pulled his blade from the belly of the beast in front of him. Thick dark blood sprayed from the katana's teeth before splattering across the ground, though it was almost impossible to see in the darkness. Without warning, the corpse of the creature dissolved into a beautiful shower of silvery stars, surprising Renji for a moment before disappearing again.

He paused and looked around. He was more surprised than anything that he had managed to kill the damn thing; they were so fast. He had somehow caught it off guard and feinted, pretending to go after its doppelganger and had allowed Zabimaru to curl around it from the side.

He had mastered Zabimaru's shikai years ago and something like that was child's play and therefore Renji was very surprised that it had been successful. Now that that was over with, it was time to take down the final enemy. It, unfortunately had come to the same conclusion, only …sooner…

Pain exploded in his stomach as he found himself suddenly flying backwards. He smashed heavily into a tree causing a new wave of pain to emerge. He groaned and put a hand on his stomach and started to try to get up from where he had landed. He was on full alert now and knew he had to be fast in order to get out of this one. Propped up on his right elbow he saw the final beast getting ready to charge, going for the kill. Panic flooded through him and one frantic thought resounded in his head.

'…_Zabimaru…?'_

His widened eyes searched frantically for his fallen Zanpakuto and eventually saw it a few inches away from him on his right. The beast was almost on him and he dove to his right in a desperate attempt to grab the sword before his life was prematurely ended for him. As he rolled he was only barely aware of the sound of splintering wood and a frustrated growl. He knew without looking that it had probably been the roots where his head had been two seconds earlier.

He quickly grabbed the hilt and rolled onto his back just in time to block the razor sharp claws aiming for his head. With two hands on the blade, he pushed back with all his strength causing sparks to shower over his face. The beast was unrelenting; its claws were literally inches from his skull and Renji knew if the sword slipped, those claws would embed themselves so fast into his head that he wouldn't even feel it. It pushed harder, throwing its full weight into the attack.

Renji's aching shoulder began to protest and he felt the blade slip a fraction. The beast's golden eyes were fixed on his, its fangs bared; he could feel its breath on his face. It could feel the end coming and Renji's desperation rise. Renji's breathing quickened as he frantically sought a solution.

'_It can't end like this!'_ he gritted his teeth as a growl began to build up in his chest. '_I promised…he believes in me…I can't let him down! I_ …_I won't…never!'_

With a cry of determination, Renji brought his knee up hard, colliding hard against the beast's stomach effectively winding it. It yelped and fell roughly to the side, but all the strength that had previously gone into fighting Renji was misdirected and missed his temple by a fraction. Renji's eyes widened considerably when the beast's flailing limbs brushed over his face and the tips of its claws caught his headgear and made a loud scratching sound. Strands of his crimson hair fell into his eyes and his breath caught in his throat.

From his left, the silvery beast made a whining noise next to him. It was starting to get to it feet and Renji knew he couldn't let that happen. Their eyes locked; gold on gray. At the same time, it lunged and Renji brought up his sword to block with every ounce of strength he had left. His own thoughts kept coming back to him.

'_I won't let you down!' _

Zabimaru's teeth stabbed into the beast's chest.

For a moment, time stopped and the two were locked together. Renji was sitting with two feet on the ground, leaning back as the beast hung impaled in Zabimaru's spikes. A growl released from the beast's throat. Renji pushed a bit harder, driving his Zanpakuto deeper into its ribcage. Its head dipped forward, its silver mane ghosted over his hands and blade as its eyes stopped glowing. Renji looked into its eyes knowing it was dying and he whispered softly to it as it took its last breath.

"I'm sorry…"

His words mingled with their breaths and the clearing began to fill with little lights. They disappeared slowly, leaving Renji alone with his thoughts. He rested against the trunk and closed his eyes. That had been harder than he had expected and though there had been no way to change it, he found himself feeling a little guilty.

He got up and shrugged it off. He had done the only thing possible in his situation and had fought fairly; he had no reason to be guilty. He smiled; he knew that was something Byakuya would say. He ran a loving hand along the hilt of his Zanpakuto.

'_Thanks Zabimaru; you saved my life. …again…I owe you one' _

His smile broadened as he dusted himself off and he set off through the trees.

His work was done here.

* * *

Byakuya's eyes narrowed; he was really starting to lose his patience. He had attacked relentlessly with Senbonzakura, but the last beast was proving difficult to handle. No matter how he followed its movements, it was always able to dodge at the last second. His mind was beginning to cloud with rage. It really had been years since an enemy had aroused his anger this way and it irked him more because he prided himself on keeping his cool under the most intense of situations.

The main problem was the setting. The forest was filled with obstacles that stood in his way and that of his Zanpakuto. The beast was using its surroundings expertly to dodge the most devastating of his attacks. In order to keep the pressure on the beast, he had ended up doing his best to follow in order to keep it in sight so that he could continue to guide Senbonzakura's attacks with the hilt. But even with this logic, it required a lot of energy to pull off. He was facing a particularly fast enemy, who was extremely nifty at tree scaling and with his ankle injured; it wasn't as easy as it should have been.

One could argue that he had faced faster opponents before and still come out on top despite injuries, but at the same time, those had been relatively short encounters with considerably less movement and obstacles involved. He had usually relied on his bankai to finish the fights faster due to more pressing matters, such as securing the safety of other people involved, for example, Rukia, when he had faced the 'fastest' Espada.

This was not the case here. He was admittedly being proud; he didn't truly believe this enemy warranted the release of his bankai. In fact he was determined not to use his bankai to defeat it; no treacherous enemy who relied on sneak attacks and trickery deserved the honor of seeing it, never mind an honorable death at its hands. No, that was absurd.

He attacked again, his wrist flexed sharply and the illusion of cherry blossom petals obeyed, following the silvery creature with blinding speed and shattered against the barks of countless tree trunks in the process. The sound of cracking wood and debris hitting the forest floor only served to provide the background music as the nobleman focused the brunt of his attention on the direction the skeletal creature was moving in.

He moved to keep it in his line of sight and gasped out loud as a particularly sharp burst of pain shot up through his leg. His eyes snapped shut as he paused and shifted his weight onto his other leg knowing that it wasn't a solution. He needed to end the fight, fast.

He refocused his eyes on the clearing before him, but realized he was already too late. The beast had taken advantage of his momentary lapse of attention and had hidden itself. Byakuya immediately sent out his vast reiatsu to try to locate its position but found nothing. He had been correct when he had conducted his initial search; the source of the foreign reiatsu also had the ability to hide it and therefore hid itself if it simply did not wish to be found. He steadied Senbonzakura, knowing it would emerge when it felt ready.

Sure enough, he didn't have to wait long before he began to feel the familiar tendrils of strange spiritual pressure building up around him. It was getting closer, but from what angle and direction?

At the last second he sensed the attack coming down upon him from the trees. He rotated on the ball of his good foot, to send an answering attack with Senbonzakura. His eyes travelled with the petals, his hand moving independently. The beast scrambled upwards to avoid his attack, using its claws as anchors to move in a side-ways motion, often associated with bats scaling cave walls. It dug its claws through the thick bark, gauging out the wood like it was wet plaster. As it maintained its surprisingly up-beat pace, wood-shavings and splinters rained down upon him like blowing sand in a desert.

He acted a second to late and flinched as he tried to blink the particles out of his eyes, taking a step back involuntarily. His leg seized in pain and buckled under him, sending him crashing to the ground in a rather undignified heap. He gasped and his eyes shot open as he turned his gaze upwards to the beast preparing to vault through the air towards him. Not even Senbonzakura could repel the beast flying towards him at the speed of shunpō.

His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened in panic; there was no time! He threw his arms up to protect himself as the beast closed in.

He was in fates hands now…

* * *

Renji began to close in on Byakuya's location. The shattering wood and howling winds were the only sounds to guide him. The reiatsu levels were high and he knew this enemy was a highly skilled one that only seated officers could hope to take on. But that information didn't discourage him from his search, tedious as it was. Tracking tended to take time and it was annoying if you didn't have the time to waste. He probed the immediate area around him, trying to pick up on any sign of Byakuya's spiritual pressure, but most of what he ended up finding was residual and only suggested that he had to keep moving. It must have been a hell of a fight.

He slowly became aware that the sounds from the kidō attacks had stopped and Renji felt a chill of worry run up his spine. Did that mean that Byakuya had been defeated or that he had drawn his Zanpakuto? He leapt down from a tree branch as a flash of silvery white crossed his line of sight. On the ground he moved quickly to the object and his lips parted in shock. He reached out and picked up a silk scarf.

'_What's your scarf doing here, Byakuya?'_ Another tremor of worry rippled though him and he adopted a serious frown. This wasn't good at all. He folded it with care and placed it inside his clothing above is heart.

Renji almost lost his balance as he felt the air suddenly became suffocated by Byakuya's reiatsu. He gasped and realized how similar it was to the first time Byakuya searched for the source of the strange reaitsu.

'_What the hell was going on?'_

Instead of waiting to find out, he quickly latched onto the trail and began to follow it with all the speed he could muster.

He burst into the clearing and saw Byakuya falling to the ground. Renji watched in horror as the beast on the tree trunk prepared to use it as diving board to propel itself towards the helpless man on the ground. Byakuya groaned as he hit the forest floor hard and turned to see the beast flying towards him with a look of utter panic written across his handsome face. With the remaining seconds ticking away, Renji knew in his heart that Zabimaru would never make it in time. He quickly shoved his mask of horror aside and donned an expression of absolute determination and resolve. He knew what he had to do; all he had to do was believe in himself.

He stabbed Zabimaru in the earth before him. He took a stance and held his two arms out before him; left hand palm extended vertically with his right hand resting on his other wrist. He shouted the kidō with every ounce of strength he possessed.

"Hadō no san juu ichi: _Shakahou_!" Old words echoed in his mind as the red fire blazed through the clearing, illuminating Zabimaru's form in the flames.

'…_.I shall light a fire upon the fang that falls short….' _

He prayed with every fiber of his soul that his attack would reach its target, swift and true. He watched desperately as the seconds seemed to slow. It was wrong to see a proud man like Byakuya on the ground when he normally should have been standing tall before his enemies.

'…_So that I needn't see that star.…'_

A lump rose in his throat. His heart was racing as he prayed and begged to every deity he knew of. A frantic mantra of '_please!_' ran through his mind. He had promised never to let his captain down and it would literally crush his soul if he failed now and he knew he would never forgive himself.

'…_.So that it shall not tear this throat of mine….'_

The smoke began to clear and Renji was finally able to make out Byakuya's form still on the ground with his arms protectively drawn around his head. Sparkling lights filled the clearing as Renji rushed to his captain's side, relief flooding through his body. A desperate smile spread over his face and Byakuya slowly lowered his arms and appeared to be reeling from shock. Then their eyes met.

"Renji?..."

The nobleman's lips parted in surprise and his gaze settled on the image of his lieutenant kneeling beside him wearing a warm relieved smile. He still couldn't believe it but was brought out of his thoughts by Renji's concerned tones.

"Taichou...Are you alright?" Byakuya looked at him.

"...Renji..., I...thank you...I'm fine..." Renji understood that the shock was still speaking and that Byakuya still hadn't quite recovered from the fact that his life had almost ended. But that wasn't an excuse to let their guards down. He scanned the area and turned back to his captain.

"Are there more of them? What happened?" Renji moved to help Byakuya to his feet as Byakuya answered him.

"It was an accident; my foot gave out. That creature was the last one, but they are difficult to track and blindingly fast. On top of that they can hide their reiatsu and avoid our detection." He steadied himself using his lieutenant's arm as a brief support while Renji frowned while gazing down at his captain's injured ankle. There was a lot of blood soaking through Byakuya's sock; it was obviously a deep and painful wound made worse by too much movement.

"Are you sure you're okay, Byakuya?" Renji watched as Byakuya's expression became warmer and a beautiful serene smile lit up his face.

"I am thanks to you, Renji. I truly am grateful."

Renji smiled back, finding himself unable not to. However despite his feelings, the situation called for caution. His eyes darted warily into the darkness again before resettling upon his captain.

"We should return before more of them arrive; it's not safe here." He glanced again at Byakuya's ankle. "And I want to get that looked at." His tones reflected to seriousness of the situation and Byakuya gave a brief nod and started to walk in the direction of the rendezvous point. When Byakuya remained still, he looked back in confusion.

"Rein in your reiatsu and they won't be able to sense you. That's something I found out." Renji's expression showed surprise and interest as his captain continued. " They are able to track by sensing your spiritual pressure, so if it disappears, then technically, so do you. Apparently, they can't distinguish between fresh and stagnant reiatsu. Just make sure you are not seen or heard."

Renji did as he was told and they made their way through the forest as quickly as the nobleman's ankle would allow.

* * *

At the tower both men visibly relaxed as they waited for back-up to arrive. As both shinigami had traveled, Renji had sent a hell butterfly requesting a medic and seated officers from their squad, reminding them not to leave a reiatsu trail. Since summoning a butterfly required using kidō, they had followed a detour path to fool any creatures that might still be tracking them, before continuing to the tower. Now that they had arrived, all they had to do was wait. Renji looked over at where Byakuya was resting his good foot.

"I'm just glad it's over. Those 'things' whatever they were, they were so fast and they could really jump. I can't believe I killed two of them." The younger shinigami shook his head, with a look of disbelief adorning his features as he recalled the many close calls. Byakuya's interest was immediately peaked and he stopped to look at his lieutenant in surprise.

"You killed two? Plus the one I was up against? I hadn't planned on you facing them at all, what happened Renji?" Byakuya's expression and tone was now soaked with concern and astonishment. Renji's smile slowly faded as his own expression became serious and he confessed.

"I went looking for you after the creature chased after you. I had a bad feeling about the whole situation and I couldn't sit still thinking about it. I dunno, I guess I've always trusted my instincts so I followed you. Along the way, two of them stopped me and I knew taking them down would be the fastest way to move forward. So I fought them, but they were tough to beat. Then, one of them actually jumped onto Zabimaru and tried to kill me that way. I couldn't believe it!" The incredulous expression on Renji's face was proof enough that the situation had been mind-boggling. But even Byakuya found that he had trouble believing such a thing. He spoke in a shocked tone.

"It jumped onto Zabimaru?" His eyebrows rose considerably. "Assuming it failed, what happened next?"

"Well I got lucky with one of them; I feinted with Zabimaru and managed to kill it. I was really surprised when it worked and that's when that last one attacked me when I was off guard. The stupid thing sent me flying into a tree; I dropped my Zanpakutō and everything." It seemed like a part of Renji was still reeling, but Byakuya seemed to be holding his breath as he listened. His hand reached slowly out to touch Renji's damaged head gear and he spoke softly.

"Is that what happened to this?" His fingers made contact with the plastic accessory and it gave a loud crack before falling to the ground in two pieces. The sound caused both men to gasp and flinch backwards and Byakuya's hand to jerk back. Renji's crimson hair fell down in beautiful curtain as he looked into his captain's eyes. Byakuya's lips parted in shock.

"You came so close to death. Why did you follow me Renji?" His voice was filled with the smallest hint of disappointment and the younger shinigami looked away from his captain's gaze. For a few seconds he said nothing as he fought the emotion that was building up inside him. His voice shook as he finally spoke.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe, Byakuya." He stared straight into Byakuya's eyes with a newfound resolve burning in them. "I would never have forgiven myself if you had gotten hurt while I had hung around and done nothing. I promised you that I would stand up and be a better man, to show people that I have confidence in myself and show them that I am proud of who I am." His voice wavered, a sign that it was close to breaking with emotion. Byakuya hung breathlessly onto every word that spilled from the younger man's mouth, a number of emotions flooding his system as he did. Renji whispered that last words as his voice finally cracked.

"I'm your fukutaichou. I will never break my promise to you. You mean too much to me, I would never betray you. I would give my life to protect you before I would ever allow you to fight a battle without me. That's why I followed you… why I always will…"

Byakuya's breath caught in his chest. The lump rose in his throat. All this emotion was threatening to undo him and he had to blink a few times while looking upwards to control it before turning back to his lieutenant, who had also looked away. For the first time in his life, Byakuya felt a warm sensation taking over his body and he couldn't stop the genuine smile that spread across his lips. Upon seeing it Renji's lips parted in awe. He had always known that Byakuya was an exceptionally beautiful man, but now he was simply breathtaking.

"You're amazing when you smile…" the crimson haired man blurted out before he had even realized it. He blushed and looked away. His eyes widened when the nobleman chose to speak.

"As are you, Renji…"

Soft fingers under his chin gently coaxed Renji to return his gaze to the older shinigami. Byakuya's smile had faded to reveal an expression shining with warmth and pride. Renji slowly returned the smile and Byakuya's hand brushed along his lieutenant's face before ghosting over his ear and going further until his slender fingers entwined themselves in his silky, crimson hair. His touch was so gentle that Renji didn't realize it when he began to lean into its warmth.

The look in Byakuya's eyes had changed slightly and Renji realized how close they were. His eyes followed to subtle curve of Byakuya's lips wondering if they were as soft as they looked. He could see each black lash that adorned those beautiful eyes and the elegant arch to the eyebrows above them. As he gazed into the older man's eyes he realized that Byakuya wanted to kiss him. Placing his own hand over Byakuya's he understood that he wanted his captain to. Renji trusted him completely.

Byakuya pulled his fukutaichou closer with his other hand around his waist. He wanted this. It felt… right…

Renji closed his eyes and unconsciously gripped the nobleman. He could feel his lips a breath above his… he would finally discover how soft they really were…

"Renji...!" A warning cry ripped through the silence.

Suddenly the world began to spin as Renji found himself spinning in the opposite direction. A pained gasp reached his ears as his eyes snapped open. In his arms, Byakuya's eyes were clenched shut and he found himself supporting Byakuya's weight.

Something was wrong.

"Byakuya? What's wrong?" Panic began to build blindly inside the younger shinigami. The captain's eyes opened slowly, agony burning inside them. Renji's eyes darted in concern. What was going on?

"Renji…" The nobleman's usual calm tone had vanished and had been replaced with a broken, pain filled voice instead. "Run…"

Renji inhaled sharply. And then he felt it.

The spiritual pressure became stifling as Renji realized what had happened. A final skeletal creature had snuck up on them when their guards were down and had tried to attack Renji from behind. The spinning was Byakuya's doing since he had moved them out of the line of attack.

What was going on? How had they been found? They had been so careful.

Renji's dread began to grow when it dawned on him. His taichou's words returned swiftly and he remembered that the beast's couldn't distinguish between stangnant and fresh reiatsu. They had been at the tower earlier and had not guarded their spiritual pressure and Byakuya had taken the hit aimed for him and paid for their miscalculation. The beast's eyes glowing behind the captain shone through the darkness like a demon. Its claws were still embedded in Byakuya's back and side, coated in blood.

Rage exploded inside the younger man. He held his captain with one hand and whispered in a deadly tone as the kidō built up his other.

"Die, monster…" His lip curled into a snarl. "Shakahou!"

He felt half the weight on his chest dissolve as the kidō obliterated the demon. He returned his full attention to Byakuya when he felt the older man's weight fall completely onto his shoulder. He tried to steady him but it seemed that the pain was finally taking over and the nobleman was unable to support his own weight anymore. Renji gently lowered him to the ground, getting more and more anxious when his captain wouldn't respond to his calls. Byakuya's breathing was shallow and jerky as each breath became excruciating. Renji gently inspected to stab wounds to his side and back becoming more alarmed with each second as crimson blood began to seep onto his fingers.

Knowing that Byakuya was in serious danger, Renji ripped off the over-shirt of his shihakushou and began ripping it into strips. Tying them at the ends, he rolled it up as fast as his fingers could move and slowly wrapped the wound, knowing the nobleman would die if he didn't. He also knew that waiting for back-up to arrive would achieve the same undesired result and Renji knew he had no choice but to abandon the tower and explain himself to the other captains later. There was no more time.

Decision made, he hoisted the older shinigami onto his back and hooked his arms under Byakuya's thighs before taking off with the fastest shunpō he had ever used. His legs objected to the speed but saving Byakuya's life was more important than anything else in the world to him.

After what seemed like hours leaping through the dark streets, the younger male finally reached the fourth squad barracks. He burst through the main doors surprising the shinigami within. Their shock increased when they saw the sixth squad's captain unconscious and draped over his back. They rushed to help the red haired shinigami. Renji panted and his stance shifted and black spots began to flash across his vision. As he felt Byakuya's weight leave him, he uttered a request with the last of his energy before collapsing.

"Save him…please…"

* * *

Psychotic laughter filled the air and the man allowed the transparent panels to disappear. While he had not enjoyed searching for the two shinigami, he could not deny that the first wave of his attack couldn't have gone any better. He had succeeded and his elation knew no bounds. And the captain was the cherry on top and there was nothing his subordinate could do to change the fact that his captain was already dead. He wouldn't survive the night. Now his move had been made and the ball was in the shinigami's hands.

Opening some wine, he began to hum. He felt like celebrating… his plans were going perfectly and victory was his…

* * *

Lot of action! I want to thank WhiteBengal14 and I'd like to bring your attention to two things. I'm once again looking for a beta and that I have a poll on my profile which asks " who would you like to see next in a fight?" It'll better help me plan the next two chapters, though there'll be no fights until chapter 6. Let me know guys!

Heidlebergchick

(word count, 9,987)


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